UN Palestine Commission – Fuel situation in Jerusalem – Letter from United Kingdom

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26 April 1948

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

Communication Received from United Kingdom

Delegation Concerning Fuel Situation in

Jerusalem

The following communication, concerning the fuel situation in Jerusalem, has been received from Mr. Fletcher-Cooke of the United Kingdom Delegation.

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UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

Empire State Building

New York 1, N. Y.

26th April, 1948.

My dear Bunche,

The consideration will no doubt wish to have the following information relating to the Fuel Situation in Jerusalem.

(1) The position of the 19th April was as follows:-

(a) The Jerusalem Electric Corporation requires 20 tons of gas oil fuel daily.

(b) 520 tons of gas oil fuel are required to wanted the service until the 15th May.

(c) The military authorities have undertaken to supply

(i) by road from Sarafand in cans and drums 280 tons;

(ii) from Jerusalem, 15 tons;

(iii) by road from Haifa in cans and drums – 250 tons;

Total – 545 tons

(d) If these supplies arrive as planned, no further difficulty should arise in respect of supply of electricity.

(e) The first consignment estimated at 160 tons arrived in Jerusalem on the 19th April and the Corporation now has sufficient stock to carry on until the 30th April.

(2) Diesel oil is also required for the purpose of maintaining Jerusalem’s water supply.

(3) The military authorities have already commenced deliveries in bulk by road to the four pumping stations and the position on the 19th April was that a further 134 tons would be required to maintain supplies up to the 15th May.

(4) 45 tons were due for delivery on the 19th April, leaving a balance of 89 tons.

(5) The intention was that this should be delivered by the military authorities:

(i) By rail tank wagons to Sarafand and those by bulk road vehicles to pumping stations (provided that the railways remain available to Sarafand), or

(ii) by bulk road vehicles direct from Haifa to pumping stations if alternative (i) failed and if bulk vehicles and drivers could be made available.

(6) It is hoped that supplies will be sufficient to maintain water service to Jerusalem until the 15th May but a pipeline has been broken twice and this may happen again at any time.

(7) Stocks of petrol and kerosene with oil distribution companies are at present nil as the railway line is blocked at Battir, near Jerusalem.

(8) The Shell Company at Haifa have been requested to dispatch supplies of kerosene, petrol and fuel oil whenever possible by rail to Ramlah so that their Jerusalem branch can lift supplies for essential requirements to Jerusalem by road.

(9) The Jerusalem branches of the Shell Company have been requested

(i) to maintain their road vehicles in a serviceable condition;

(ii) to apply for sanitary escorts whenever they can dispatch their road vehicles to Ramlah.

(10) There appears to be no prospect of restoring anything like the full supply of petrol, kerosene and fuel oil but it is hoped to resume meeting the requirements of essential users.

(11) The refineries at Haifa have been closed for almost two weeks as the Arabs are not coming to work because of disputes regarding transport to sad from the refineries.

(12) The reserve at the refineries are somewhat better than at the time of the previous stoppage of work in December 1947, but should the present stoppage onetime for two or three weeks more, all reserves will be depleted.

Yours sincerely,

(signed) J. FLETCHER-COOKE

(J. Fletcher-Cooke)

Dr. Ralph J. Bunche,

Principal Secretary to the United Nations

Commission on Palestine.

United Nations,

Lake Success.