UN Palestine Commission – Daily News Summary

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

DAILY NEWS SUMMARY

Jerusalem, 4 April – Jewish forces still held Kastel, on the Tel-Aviv-Jerusalem highway route, as strong Arab reinforcements gathered for an attempt to dislodge them. The village was taken on 2 April in a drive to open a food supply line for Jerusalem’s 100,000 Jews.

There was considerable fighting throughout the day in Jerusalem. Deaths reported in Palestine included 1 Jew and 3 Arabs, twinging the unofficial death toll since 29 November to 2,307.

Tel Aviv, 4 April – The Jewish Agency will meet tomorrow to answer the High Commissioner’s invitation to truce talks. According to the United Press, a broadcast of Irgun Zvai Leumi Sunday night stated: “We shall not agree to any compromise or political trace which trill forfeit the foundation of the Jewish State. If any Jewish body agrees to such a truce, we will not be bound by it but shall go on fighting any foreign occupation.” (NY HERALD TRIBUNE)

Jerusalem, 4 April – Palestinian Jews now abroad have been summoned in a proclamation by the Jewish Agency and Vaad Leumi to return to Palestine or to register at Agency Offices abroad. The order directed all men between 18 and 35 to return, and all women between the same ages to register. About 6,000 Palestinian Jews, mostly students, are said to be living abroad. (NY TIMES)

London, 27 March – In an editorial, THE NEW STATESMAN & NATION of 27 March 1948 asserts that the United States “harassed by fears of war” has gone back on its partition policy “in a frantic effort to eta the support of the Arabs in the ‘cold war’ against Russia.” The Jews are learning that the United States, in spite of its 6 million Jewish voters, “is a no wore reliable ally than Great Britain when paper promises are measured against strategic interests.” The editorial questions whether the Trusteeship proposal is “really realistic,” since it is acceptable to neither side, and since it is doubtful whether the United Staten would assume responsibility for administering the plan.

“Mr. Marshall’s decision,” continues the editorial, “is nothing more than a stalling device, designed to kill partition …. (Its) immediate result will be to increase violence by both sides and to make the British withdrawal still more difficult. The Jews now have nothing to lose by going ahead with the establishment of their State… The Arabs, whose violence for the second time has reaped such a rich harvest, will now feel that they have not only British but American approval for their campaign. Mr. Marshall has made chaos certain in Palestine.”