UN Palestine Commission – Palestine situation – Draft resolution submitted by the Philippines

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

DRAFT RESOLUTION SUBMITTED BY THE MEMBER FOR THE PHILIPPINES

The member for the Philippines submitted on 14 January 1948, the following draft resolution for the consideration of the Commission:

WHEREAS, in the report of the Special Committee on Palestine to the General Assembly dated 31 August, 1947, the following finding appears:

“The present situation. The atmosphere in Palestine is one of profound tension. In the streets of Jerusalem and other key areas barbed wire defences, road blocks, machine-gun posts, and constant armored car patrols are routine measures” (page 28, paragraph 117),

which finding seems to coincide with the following views of the Representative of Yugoslavia:

“Jerusalem itself has been divided into a number of security zones; it is intersected by long rows of barbed wire, studded with machine-gun nests; armoured cars circulate through the streets as do groups of soldiers with their weapons at the ready.

“Throughout the country, the buildings housing Administration offices or accommodating British officials are encircled with barbed wire and are guarded by soldiers. No guards have, on the other hand, been posted before the premises of either Jewish or Arab organizations, before the homes of Jewish and Arab politicians, or in front of Jewish and Arab firms.

“Alarms and curfews have become a part of the daily routine in Jerusalem and in the other large towns. While the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine was holding its hearings in Jerusalem, there were days when the alarm was sounded two or three times. Columns of armoured cars and tanks cruise along the roads throughout Palestine. On some of the main roads, traffic has been restricted to certain hours of the day. Checquered with military camps, Palestine itself has been turned into one large armed camp” (page 60, paragraph 3).

WHEREAS, regardless of the binding or persuasive effect of the foregoing findings, it is a fact that the General Assembly, in its resolution of 29 November 1947, “Considers that the present situation in Palestine is one which is likely to impair the general welfare and friendly relations among nations;”

WHEREAS, since the adoption of the aforesaid resolution (29 November 1947), the situation in Palestine has not improved, but on the contrary it has deteriorated as shown by press reports of bloody clashes between Arabs and Jews which have now assumed a scale and organization not seen before; of the bombing of the American Consulate General in Palestine; of the recent discovery of shipment of considerable amount of explosives now openly admitted to have been purchased by the Jewish Agency for use in Palestine; of the attack by 100 Arabs in uniform against a Jewish colony within three miles of Jerusalem requiring the intervention of British troops as well as the police; and of the destruction of a bridge over the Jordan River on the main road from Palestine to Syria where Arab invaders recently attacked two Jewish settlements;

WHEREAS, it appears in the resolution of the General Assembly of 29 November 1947, that the Mandatory power has made known its plan of withdrawing its armed forces from Palestine progressively until 1 August 1948, on which date the evacuation will be completed;

WHEREAS, it is provided in the same resolution that the administration of Palestine shall, as the Mandatory power withdraws its armed forces, be progressively turned over to the Commission which will take over and administer the areas thus evacuated;

WHEREAS, the General Assembly has requested the Security Council in the same resolution to consider, if circumstances during the transitional period require such consideration, “whether the situation in Palestine constitute a threat to the peace. If it decides that such a threat exists, and in order to maintain international peace and security, the Security Council should supplement the authorization of the General Assembly by taking measures, under Articles 39 and 41 of the Charter, to empower the United Nations. Commission, . . . , to exercise in Palestine the functions which are assigned to it by this resolution.”

WHEREAS, the General Assembly has also requested the Security Council to determine as a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression, in accordance with Article 39 of the Charter, any attempt to alter by force the settlement envisaged by the said resolution.

WHEREAS, notwithstanding the time that has elapsed from the date of the adoption of the aforesaid resolution up to the present, and notwithstanding the fact that the Palestine Commission is already constituted and actually functioning, the Security Council has not yet taken any action on the requests of the General Assembly as above stated;

THEREFORE, THE UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION RESOLVES to petition, as it hereby petitions, the Security Council through the Secretary-General to act as soon as possible on the aforesaid requests of the General Assembly in order that international peace and security may not only be maintained, but also in order that the Palestine Commission may in due time take over and administer the areas of the Palestine territory while they are being evacuated by the Mandatory power.