UN Palestine Commission – Status of the Jewish Agency for Palestine – Communication from the Jewish Agency

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

JEWISH AGENCY FOR PALESTINE

RESTRICTED

10 February 1948

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

The attached letter, dated 6 February from Mr. Moshe Shertok of the Jewish Agency for Palestine is circulated for the information of members of The Commission.

THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR PALESTINE

16 East 66th Street

New York 21, N.Y.

February 6, 1948

The Chairman

United Nations Palestine Commission United Nations

Lake Success, New York.

Dear Sir:

I have the honor To make the following submission on the status of the Jewish Agency for Palestine in relation to Part Section A Paragraph 4 of the General Assembly’s Resolution on the Future Government of Palestine which provides for the constitution of Provisional Councils of Government “as rapidly as possible” and “after consultation with the Democratic parties and other public organizations of the Arab and Jewish States”.

2. The Executive of the Jewish Agency for Palestine was elected by the World Zionist Congress in December 1946. The following Jewish parties in Palestine participated in these elections and sent their delegates to the Congress.

3. The Jews of Palestine periodically hold countrywide elections not only for the World Zionist Congress, but also for the Elected Assembly of Palestine Jews (Asefat Ianivcharim) whose executive organ is the Vaad Leumi. The representative character of the Jewish community thus organised is officially recognized by the Mandatory Government under the Organisation of Communities ordinance.

4. I enclose a telegram which the Jewish Agency has just received from the President and Chairman of the Vaad Leumi in all negotiations for the establishment of a Jewish Provisional Council of Government.

5. The enclosed telegram gives a list of the parties and organisations represented by the Vaad Leumi; with their relative numerical strength in the Elected Assembly.

6. The only Jewish party or group which is outside the organisational framework both of the Jewish Agency and of the Vaad Leumi is the organisation known as Agudath Israel – a body of orthodox Jews. The Jewish Agency invariably consults with the Agudat Israel on all major political matters affecting Palestine Jewry and full agreement has usually been reached. The Jewish Agency will certainly take steps to ensure that the views of the Agudat Israel are canvassed before proposals are made for the constitution of a Provisional Council of Government.

7. It is submitted that the Jewish Agency for Palestine by virtue of its own representative character and its authority to sneak for the Vaad Leumi represents the interests of the overwhelming majority of Palestine Jews. The Jewish Agency hopes shortly to submit the agreed views of the “democratic parties and public organisations in the Jewish State” on the composition which they propose for the Provisional Council of Government.

I have the honor to be,

Faithfully yours,

/s/ M. SHERTOK

Moshe Shertok

MS/bfa

Enclosure

JWY/RC1 VXY126 TELAVIV 160/154 4 1620

NLT SHERTOK JEVAGENCY NEWYORK

BY VIRTUE RESOLUTION ADOPTED TODAY BY EXECUTIVE VAADLEUMI AUTHORIZATION IS GIVEN TO EXECUTIVE JEWAGENCY AND ITS ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVES UNO NEGOTIATE ALSO BEHALF GENERAL COUNCIL VAADLEUMI JEWISH COMMUNITY PALESTINE FORMATION PROVISIONAL COUNCIL JEWISH STATE STOP FOLLOWING PARTIES AND ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATED LAST ELECTIONS 4th ASSEFAT NIVHARIM 1st AUGUST 1944 202404 VOTERS PARTICIPATED OUT OF 300018 ENTITLED TO VOTE STOP 274 SETTLEMENTS PARTICIPATE ELECTIONS ALSO 9219 ENLISTED MEN AND WOMEN WHO VOTED IN THEIR UNITS IN PALESTINE AND ABROAD STOP 171 MEMBERS ASSEFAT NIVHARIM HAVE BEEN ELECTED ON FOLLOWING LISTS MAPAI 63 HASHOMER HATZAIR AND POALE ZION AND AHDUT AVODA 37 ALIYA HADASHA 16 HAPOEL HAMIZRAHI AND POEL MIZRAHI WOMEN 17 MIZRAHI AND ORTHODOXS AND MIZRAHI WOMEN 7 GENERAL ZIONIST AND ZIONIST WORKER 7 YEMENITES 6 MERCHANTS AND INDEPENDENT ORTHODOXS 5 WOMEN INTERNATIONAL ZIONIST ORGANIZATION 4 COMMUNISTS POPULAR DEMOCRACY 3 MACCABI 3 POPULAR MOVEMENT FOR JEWISH STATE LUBOTZKY 1

BENZVI PRESIDENT REMEZ CHAIRMAN