Future government of Palestine/UN Palestine Commission – Commission’s offices (Wilhelma), police, food aid for children in Palestine – UNPC 69th mtg. – Summary record

UNITED NATIONS PALESTINE COMMISSION

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE SIXTY-NINTH MEETING

 Lake Success, New York

Thursday, 22 April 1948, at 2.30 p.m.

COMMUNICATIONS FROM MR. AZCARATE

The SECRETARY read a cable which had been received from Mr. Azcarate (Deputy Principal Secretary) stating that Sir Henry Gurney, the Chief Secretary of the Palestine Administration, had expressed a desire to know the intentions of the Commission regarding its coming to Jerusalem on 1 May, although he realized that it would be difficult for the for the Commission to give a definite reply before a decision had been reached by the General Assembly.

Some surprise was expressed at Sir Henry Gurney’s question. However; it was decided to ask the Palestine Administration whether they had any further proposals to make with respect to the question of accommodations for the Commission in Palestine. It was recalled, in that connection, that Wilhelma had been suggested by the Palestine Administration previously and that after the Commission’s rejection of Wilhelma as being unsuitable, no other place had been suggested to the Commission.

The SECRETARY next read a second cable from Mr. Azcarate concerning the possibilities for the recruitment of a temporary police force for Jerusalem: only fifty British policemen had declared themselves willing to serve, of which none were senior officers. Mr. Azcarate stated further, that a force of two hundred policemen was regarded as the absolute minimum, and one of five hundred or more as desirable. Unless police forces could be brought from outside of Palestine and organized before the actual withdrawal of British forces from Jerusalem, he thought that the organization of an emergency police force was impracticable. He awaited advice from the Commission as to its final decision in the matter so that he might inform the British authorities respecting it.

It was agreed that the information contained in the above cable should be transmitted informally to Mr. Parodi, the French delegate to the General Assembly, for his information in connection with the resolution he had proposed to the First Committee of the General Assembly respecting suitable measures for the protection of Jerusalem and its inhabitants (document A/C.1/280) and that the text of the French resolution should be cabled to Mr. Azcarate. The Commission would postpone its decision regarding the establishment of a temporary police force pending the decision of the First Committee on the French resolution.

It was also agreed that the substance of the Australian resolution before the First Committee calling for the implementation of the partition plan (document A/C.1/279) should be cabled to Mr. Azcarate for his information,

CONSIDERATION OF DRAFT LETTER TO THE UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE RELEASE FROM BEARER BONDS FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES IN TEL AVIV AND HAIFA MUNICIPALITIES (Informal Paper UK/118)

The above draft letter, prepared by the Secretariat, was approved with minor drafting Changes and deletions.

CONSIDERATION OF COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM THE WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM (Informal Papers M/37 and. M/37.Corr.1)

With reference to the above communication, it was agreed that the suggestion it contained, namely, that the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund be asked to allocate a sum for the distribution of food and drugs to children in Palestine, should be adopted. The Secretariat was requested to communicate with the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund regarding the procedure to be followed in the matter.

CONSIDERATION OF COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION CONCERNING PUBLIC INFORMATION SERVICES IN PALESTINE (Informal Papers UK/81, 84 and 85)

With reference to the above communications respecting public information services in Palestine, it was agreed that no action should be taken in the matter by the Commission for the time being in view of the general developments.

The meeting rose at 3.15