Economic Survey Mission Preliminary Report Draft Letter, Protection of Holy Places, Jaffa-Tel Aviv — UNCCP 114th Meeting – Summary Record (N.Y. talks)

UNITED NATIONS CONCILIATION COMMISSION FOR PALESTINE

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH MEETING

held in New York on Wednesday,
16 November 1949, at 11 a.m.

Consideration of draft letter transmitting preliminary report of the Economic Survey Mission.

In the first paragraph of the letter, Mr. de BOISANGER requested the addition of a brief sentence referring to the establishment and terms of reference of the Economic Survey Mission as recorded in the Commission’s Fourth Progress Report. He considered it necessary to explain the competence of the Economic Survey Mission in the matter of the refugees.

Mr. PALMER suggested the deletion of the second sentence of the second paragraph, which was vague and served no useful purpose.

The PRINCIPAL SECRETARY recalled that the purpose of the sentence had been to indicate that in transmitting the report the Commission did not entirely accept all the recommendations contained therein. If the sentence were omitted, the impression would be given that the Commission made no reservations except in the matter of reduction of rations, and that in all other ways it considered the report acceptable and had no observations to make.

Mr. PALMER agreed with the Principal Secretary, but thought that the sentence as it stood at present did not make clear what the Commission had in mind. The reference should be couched in more specific terms. He suggested that the Secretariat should redraft the sentence.

After some discussion of a revised text proposed by the Secretariat, and of a revision of the last sentence propose by the United States member, the Commission approved the text of the letter as amended.

Consideration of draft letter transmitting the Israeli and Arab declarations regarding protection of the Holy Places.

The Commission proved the text of the draft letter with one minor drafting amendment.

Question of Jaffa-Tel Aviv

The CHAIRMAN drew attention to the text of the cable received from Mr. Barnes in Jerusalem, which confirmed the annexation of Jaffa to Tel Aviv. He pointed out that according to the cable the merger would be officially proclaimed within a month; if the Commission took no action within that time, it would be generally assumed that it had tacitly accepted the situation. He suggested that a letter might be addressed to the Israeli delegation indicating the Commission’s view that such an action by the Government of Israel during the negotiations with the Commission was harmful to those negotiations.

Mr. de BOISANGER did not see, in the circumstances, any action the Commission could take which would satisfy the request of the Egyptian representative. The latter, however, had claimed that the merger was a violation of the Protocol of 12 May, and the Commission had virtually committed itself to take some action. He supported the Chairman’s proposal, but pointed out that Mr. Barnes had despatched by pouch the text of the Israeli Government’s decree; he therefore suggested that the Commission should await the arrival of that document before taking action, in order to obtain further precise information.

Mr. PALMER thought the Commission should take note of the Israeli Government’s action and convene a meeting with the Israeli delegation for the purpose of requesting clarification and having a statement recorded. He agreed, however, that such action should not be taken until after the Commission had had an opportunity to study the text of the decree.

The meeting rose at 12.15