UN Palestine Commission – Questions for UK Government – Working paper

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UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

Questions Approved by the Commission for Submission
to the development of the United Kingdom
(As of the Eleventh Meeting, 19 January 1948)

I. SECURITY

1. In what manner does the United Kingdom Government propose to consult with the Commission as to the time and nature of its evacuation of each locality in each area prior to such evacuation? Does the United Kingdom Government intend that an “area” occupied by British armed forces should mean the actual locality in physical occupation?

2. What are the plans of the United Kingdom Government with regard to the withdrawal of the Arab Legion, the Trans-Jordan Frontier Force, and British personnel of the Palestine Police Force? What disposition is to be made and when, of the arms, equipment, stores etc., of the Trans-Jordan Frontier Force? Has the United Kingdom Government any proposals to make to the Commission with regard to the transfer of the Palestine Police Force, its arms, equipment, stores, etc.?

2. What is the policy of the United Kingdom Government at the present time with regard to supplies of arms, ammunition, military equipment etc., to individuals organizations or communities in Palestine and is any chance in that policy contemplated?

4. What is the position of the United Kingdom Government with regard to paragraph 8 of Section B of Part I of the Assembly’s resolution, which reads as follows:

“The Provisional Council of Government of each State shall, within the shortest time possible, recruit an area militia from the residents of that State, sufficient in number to maintain internal order and to prevent frontier clashes.

“This armed militia in each State shall, for operational purposes, be under the command of Jewish or Arab officers resident in that State, but general political and military control, including the choice of the militia’s High Command, by the Commission.”

5. Will the Mandatory Power, prior to the termination of the Mandate, be prepared to facilitate the work of the Commission respecting the measures it may take to establish the armed militia for each State?

6. Will the Mandatory Power continue to accept responsibility for the maintenance of law and order in areas from which its forces have been evacuated prior to the termination of the Mandate?

7. After the termination of the Mandate, what functions or responsibilities will be discharged by British forces in the areas still occupied by them, with respect to maintaining law and order?

8. What will be the legal status of the armed forces of the United Kingdom in Palestine after the termination of the Mandate? Is it correct to assume that they will be considered as armed forces on foreign territory?

9. Will the Mandatory Power be prepared to communicate to the Commission what steps it would intend to take in case of armed aggression against Palestine territory either prior to the termination of the Mandate or after its termination but before the complete evacuation of British forces from the country?

II. IMMIGRATION

1. What are the plans of the Mandatory Power regarding immigration prior to the termination of the Mandate and particularly, with respect to the present quota of 1500 Jewish immigrants per month?

2. What are the plans of the Mandatory Power with regard to the recommendation in paragraph A.2 of Part I of the Assembly’s resolution which reads as follows:

“The Mandatory power shall use its best endeavours to ensure that an area situated in the territory of the Jewish State, including a seaport and hinterland adequate to provide facilities for a substantial immigration, shall be evacuated at the earliest possible date and in any event not later than 1 February 1948.”

3. Would ships carrying unauthorized Jewish immigrants be prevented from going to Tel Aviv and landing there in the period between February 1948 and the termination of the Mandate?

4. Does the Mandatory Power intend to transfer all Jewish immigrants presently detained in Cyprus to Palestine? If so, when and under what conditions? (Within the existing quota or otherwise? If within the quota, in what proportion?).

III. THE COMMISSION’S DISCHARGE OF ITS ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Having regard to the statement of Sir Alexander Cadogan at its sixth meeting on 14 January, to the effect that the United Kingdom Government will relinquish its responsibility for the government of Palestine “…..as a whole. They cannot agree to relinquish it piecemeal”, what interpretation does the United Kingdom Government place upon and what are its plans with regard to paragraph 2, Section B of Part I of the General Assembly’s resolution, which reads as follows:

“The administration of Palestine shall, as the Mandatory Power withdraws its armed forces, be progressively turned over to the Commission, which shall act in conformity with the recommendations of the General Assembly, under the Guidance of the Security Council. The Mandatory Power shall to the fullest possible extent co-ordinate its plans for withdrawal with the plans of the Commission to take over and administer areas which have been evacuated.

“In the discharge of this administrative responsibility the Commission shall have authority to issue necessary regulations and take other measures as required.

“The Mandatory Power shall not take any action to prevent, obstruct or delay the implementation by the Commission of the measures recommended by the General Assembly.”

2. Is it to be understood from Sir Alexander’s statement to the Commission at its sixth meeting on 14 January, that his Government would be “prepared to agree to the Commission’s arrival in Palestine shortly before the Mandate is terminated, in order that there may be an overlap of say, a fortnight during which the Commission can take up its responsibilities”, that the… Government of the United Kingdom would not regard favourably a decision of the Commission to come to Palestine at an earlier date if the Commission should consider this necessary for the discharge of its functions?

3. What measures is the Mandatory Power, as the sole authority in Palestine until the termination of the Mandate, prepared to take with regard to the security of the Palestine Commission in Palestine? What facilities is the Mandatory Power prepared to provide for the accommodation and transportation of the Commission in Palestine?

4. Does the Mandatory Power propose to maintain administrative services unchanged in areas from which its forces have been evacuated prior to the date of termination of the Mandate?

5. In what manner is the Mandatory Power prepared, prior to the termination of the Mandate, to facilitate the work of the Commission respecting the measures it must take to establish

(a) the new frontiers?

(b) the Provisional Councils of Government?

6. How will the Commission have access to the files and information of the Palestine Administration prior to the termination of the Mandate?

7. Does the Mandatory Power intend to take preliminary steps in consultation with the Commission, prior to the termination of the Mandate, to transition the functions and personnel of the Palestine Government Departments in order to facilitate a smooth and orderly transfer of authority?

8. What are the numbers and rank in each Department of the Palestine Government of

(a) British

(b) Arab

(c) Jewish

personnel? Will the Mandatory Power supply the Commission regularly with information concerning any changes in the composition of this personnel?

9. The Resolution (Part I, E.2, page 14) provides that:

“During the period between the appointment of the United Nations Commission and the termination of the Mandate, the Mandatory Power shall, except in respect of ordinary operations, consult with the Commission on any measure which it may contemplate involving the liquidation, disposal or encumbering of the assets of the Palestine Government, such as the accumulated treasury surplus, the proceeds of Government bond issues, State lands or any other asset.”

Has the United Kingdom Government any proposals as to the method to be followed for such consultations and as to the date of starting such consultations?

10. Is the delegation of the United Kingdom in a position to give the Commission an account of the present food situation in Palestine, and particularly of any arrangements for the importation of essential food during, the next few months?

11. Has the Mandatory Power prepared any plans which would ensure that in the transfer of responsibility to the United Nations Commission the essential measures of the Palestine Administration for securing sufficient food supplies for all the population of Palestine can continue in operation?

12. Is the United Kingdom Government prepared to enter into consultation with the Commission at an early date with regard to the measures to be taken to ensure the continuation of the machinery of public information, essential to the fulfilment of the Commission’s tasks?

13. On the appointed day for the termination of the Mandate, is it the Mandatory Power’s intention to turn over to the Commission “the whole complex of governmental responsibilities for the whole of Palestine” without any reservations?

14. What is the time-table and what are the details of the United Kingdom’s plan of withdrawal with respect to matters of Civil administration?

15. Is the Mandatory Power prepared, in view of paragraph 12 of Section B, Part I of the Assembly resolution, to include in the assistance which it may render to the Palestine Commission the temporary secondment to essential posts in Palestine of any of the personnel in the Palestine administration for service under the Commission during the transitional period?

16. What measures are planned by the Mandatory Power to secure the transfer of the files and archives of the Palestine Government to the Commission, and, inter alia, what measures are planned by the Mandatory Power to preserve and turn over to the Commission the records of land surveys and land settlement in the archives of the Palestine Government?

17. After the termination of the Mandate, what functions or responsibilities will be discharged by British forces in the areas still occupied by them, with respect to:

(a) Maintaining public services

(b) Civil administration?

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