Consideration of the Working Paper prepared by the Chairman – UNCCP Cttee on Jerusalem’s 5th mtg – Summary record

COMMITTEE ON JERUSALEM

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIFTH MEETING

Held in Jerusalem on 7 March at 11 a.m.

Consideration of Working Paper by the Chairman (Com.Jer/W.l).

The Committee continued its discussion of the Working Paper, taking up points A, B-1, B-2 and D of Part II, “Points to be included in the Statute”.

It was agreed that point D should more properly be placed after point A, in order to preserve the correct sequence of ideas and indicate immediately that there would be two-local administrations.

There was considerable discussion regarding point B-2, which was recognized as being one of fundamental importance since when the discussion stage was reached it would bring up the whole question of what laws would apply in each of the two communities, and whether the United Nations Authority would have power to overrule those laws if it considered them in contradiction to the Declaration of Human Rights. The Committee was in agreement that there must be a general statement of principle to the effect that the United Nations Authority would be responsible for ensuring the protection of human rights as defined in the Declaration; the question of the implementation of that principle was one which could not be dealt with until a later moment. It was felt, however, that in order to have its position clear for purposes of discussion, the Committee must, before drafting such a statement, come to a decision regarding the division of the City into areas, the extent of internationalization and of local autonomy desired, and the relationship of the two local communities to the “mother-Countries”, Israel and Trans-Jordan. The fundamental question of whether the two local administrations would be independent local governments, or whether they would be part of the governments of Israel and Transjordan must be decided; the Committee must take a stand on the question of whether the second alternative would be compatible with its concept of an international regime”.

It was therefore decided that each delegation would prepare, for discussion at a meeting the following day, a short paper, setting forth its ideas regarding the division of the City into zones, the general boundaries of those zones and the number of them, the extent of local autonomy to be allowed, and the status of the local communities in relation to the Governments of Transjordan and Israel.