Mideast situation/Detention of British nationals – Letter from United Kingdom

LETTER FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

DATED 8 JULY 1948 ADDRESSED TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCERNING

THE DETENTION OF FIVE BRITISH SUBJECTS BY THE IRGUN ZVAI LEUMI

8th July, 1948.

Sir,

I have the honour, under instructions from His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to request you to convey the following information to the Security Council.

2. His Majesty's Consul-General at Jerusalem was informed on the morning of July 7th that, during the previous night, five British subjects resident at the Jerusalem Electric Corporation Plant were detained by the Irgun Zvai Leumi.

3. The Belgian Consul-General, as Chairman of the United Nations Truce Commission whose flag flies on the building, at once investigated the incident and tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with His Majesty's Consul-General by telephone. He protested to the Jewish Agency who promised to take the matter up forthwith.

4. On learning of the incident His Majesty's Consul-General telephoned to Dr. Bernard Joseph of the Jewish Agency who said that he sincerely deplored this action and promised to do his utmost to get the men released.

5. I shall submit to the Council any further information that may come to hand regarding this incident. The above facts have also been communicated to the United Nations Mediator.

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