Subcommittee I approves draft on Palestine question – Ad Hoc Cttee – Press release

UNITED NATIONS

Department of Public Information

Press and Publication Bureau

Lake Success, New York

SUBCOMMITTEE I APPROVES WORKING GROUP’S DRAFT ON PALESTINE QUESTION

Convening under the chairmanship of KSAWERY PRUSZYNSKI (Poland), Sub-Committee I of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Palestinian Question this afternoon approved the draft prepared by the Working Group on Implementation (Press Release PM/732).

J.M. MARTIN (United Kingdom) asked for clarification on two points.

The first point was on paragraph 1 of the draft, which states that the armed forces of the Mandatory Power shall be withdrawn from Palestine by 1 May 1948.

Mr. Martin asked whether all the armed forces of the Mandatory Power will have to be withdrawn by 1 May 1948, or whether the withdrawal will be progressive. Mr. Martin explains that this was important in view of the fact that the note at the end of the draft stated that the Mandatory Power shall be requested by the General Assembly to continue to be responsible for the maintenance of law and order until termination of the Mandate (1 May 1948).

The second request for clarification was on paragraph 5 of the draft which states that the Commission shall assist the Mandatory up till the termination of the mandate.

Mr. Martin asked what kind of assistance was envisaged.

HERSCHELL V. JOHNSON (USA) and SEMEN TSARAPKIN (USSR) agreed that the withdrawal would be progressive.

JORGE GARCIA GRANADOS (Guatemala), in turn, cited the use of the militias of the Arab and Jewish states on instructions of the Committee as one means of assistance.

LESTER B. PEARSON (Canada) also mentioned, as a means of assistance, the fact that the Committee would report to the Security Council, should the peace be threatened from outside Palestine.

MOSHE SHERTOK, Head of the Political Department of the Jewish Agency asked for clarification on two other points.

The first request referred to the date of the arrival of the Committee in Palestine, He was informed by Mr. Garcia Granados that the Committee would leave for Palestine very shortly after its appointment by the General Assembly.

The second request referred to whether the Committee had the necessary powers to implement the recommendations of the General Assembly.

Mr. Shertok was informed by Mr. Garcia Granados and Mr. Tsarapkin that the Committee would have all the necessary powers to implement even those recommendations, such as immigration and land transfers, which entail legislative action on the part of the mandatory power.

Sub-Committee 1 will reconvene tomorrow, Tuesday at 3 p.m.

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