UN Palestine Commission – British Members of the Palestine Police Force – Letter from United Kingdom

Lake Success, New York

16 February 1948

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

COMMUNICATION FROM MR. TRAFFORD SMITH CONCERNING
BRITISH MEMBERS OF THE PALESTINE POLICE FORCE

The following communication has been received Pram Mr. Trafford Smith of the United Kingdom Delegation:

My Dear Bunche,

You will remember that, during an informal conversation on the 28th January, we discussed the question of members of the British section of the Palestine police volunteering, after termination of their contracts, for service with any international security forces which might be established for the City of Jerusalem. This question was, I think, finally cleared up in Sir Alexander Cadogan’s letter to Monsieur K. Lisicky of the 30th January, but in our conversation you went on to ask whether objection would be raised to British police personnel volunteering similarily after termination of their contracts for service under the Palestine Commission, or possibly even with Arab or Jewish states or organizations.

We now understand from London that there can be no objection to British police personnel, whose contracts are being terminated, volunteering for service with any successor authority in Palestine. We have not yet heard from the authorities in Jerusalem whether any estimate can be given of the numbers likely to volunteer for such service, and this may, indeed, be difficult for the reasons given in Sir Alexander Cadogan’s letter referred to above. If, however, any further information comes through from Jerusalem on the point, I will, of course, immediately pass it on to you.

Yours sincerely,

(signed)

(Trafford Smith)

Dr. Ralph J. Bunche,

Principal Secretary to the United Nations

Commission for Palestine

United Nations,

Lake Success, N.Y.”