Contents:

Question of Palestine, 1947 April

 

 

UNITED NATIONS

 

General Assembly

 

A/286
3 April 1947

CRIGINAL: ENGLISH

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

The following letter from the United Kingdom Delegation to the United Nations has been received by the Acting Secretary-General:
United Kingdom Delegation
to the United Nations,
New York.

2nd April, 1947.
Sir,

*"His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom request the Secretary-General of the United Nations to place the question of Palestine on the Agenda of the General Assembly at its next regular Annual Session. They will submit to the Assembly an account of their administration of the League of Nations Mandate and will ask the Assembly to make recommendations, under Article 10 of the Charter, concerning the future government of Palestine.

In making this request, His Majesty's Government draw the attention of the Secretary-General to the desirability of an early settlement in Palestine and to the risk that the General Assembly might not be able to decide upon its recommendations at its next regular Annual Session unless some preliminary study of the question had previously been made under the auspices of the United Nations. They therefore request the Secretary-General to summon, as soon as possible, a special Session of the General Assembly for the purpose of constituting and instructing a Special Committee to prepare for the consideration, at the regular Session of the Assembly, of the question referred to in the preceding paragraph."

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,

(Signed) Alexander Cadogan

Dr. Victor Chi Tsai Hoo,
Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Lake Success.

A/287
21 April 1947

Original: English

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

REQUEST FROM THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT FOR THE INCLUSION
OF AN ADDITIONAL ITEM IN THE AGENDA OF THE FIRST
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Washington D. C.
21 April 1947
His Excellency Trygve Lie
Secretary-General United Nations

SIR I HAVE THE HONOUR TO ADVISE THAT ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS RECEIVED FROM MY GOVERNMENT AND IN CONFORMITY OF ARTICLE 18 OF THE PROVISIONAL RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THE ROYAL EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT REQUESTS TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA OF THE FORTHCOMING EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY WHICH IS TO DEAL WITH THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE ON THE 28TH OF APRIL 1947. THE ITEM READS AS FOLLOWS: 

*THE TERMINATION OF THE MANDATE OVER PALESTINE AND THE DECLARATION OF ITS INDEPENDENCE. 

ACCEPT SIR THE ASSURANCES OF MY HIGHEST CONSIDERATION

MAHMOUD HASSAN
EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR
APR 23 1947

 

A/288
23 April 1947

Original: English

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

REQUEST FROM THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT FOR THE INCLUSION
OF AN ADDITIONAL ITEM IN THE AGENDA OF THE FIRST
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Embassy of Iraq
Washington, D.C.

21 April 1947
Excellency:

I have the honor to inform you that I have been instructed by my Government to request you, in accordance with Rule 18 of the Provisional Rules of Procedure for the General Assembly, to include the following as an additional item in the Agenda of the Special Session of the General Assembly convening on April 28, 1947:

*The Termination of the Mandate over Palestine and the Declaration of its Independence.

Please accept, Excellency, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration.

Ali Jawdat
The Ambassador
His Excellency
MAY 1 1947

A/289
23 April 1947

ORIGINAL: ENGLI

 

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

REQUEST FROM THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT FOR THE INCLUSION
OF AN ADDITIONAL ITEM IN THE AGENDA OF THE FIRST
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

22 APRIL 1947
TRYGVE LIE

I HAVE THE HONOR TO INFORM YOU THAT I HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED BY MY GOVERNMENT TO REQUEST YOU, IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 18 OF THE PROVISIONAL RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS ADDITIONAL ITEM IN THE AGENDA OF THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONVENING ON APRIL 28 1947:

  *THE TERMINATION OF THE MANDATE OVER PALESTINE AND THE DECLARATION OF ITS INDEPENDENCE. 

PLEASE ACCEPT EXCELLENCY THE RENEWED ASSURANCES OF MY HIGHEST CONSIDERATION.

COSTI K ZURAYK MINISTER OF SYRIA
MAY 1 1947

 

A/290
23 April 1947

ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

 

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

REQUEST FROM THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT FOR THE INCLUSION
OF AN ADDITIONAL ITEM IN THE AGENDA OF THE FIRST SPECIAL
SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

22 APRIL 1947
TRYGVE LIE

EXCELLENCY I HAVE THE HONOR TO STATE THAT I AM INSTRUCTED BY MY GOVERNMENT TO REQUEST IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE EIGHTEEN OF THE PROVISIONAL RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THE INCLUSION OF THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ITEM IN THE AGENDA OF THE FORTHCOMING SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SCHEDULED TO OPEN ON APRIL 28 1947 

*"THE TERMINATION OF THE MANDATE ON AND THE GRANTING OF INDEPENDENCE TO PALESTINE"

 ACCEPT EXCELLENCY THE RENEWED ASSURANCES OF MY HIGHEST CONSIDERATION

CHARLES MALIK MINISTER OF LEBANON IN THE UNITED STATES
MAY 1 1947
 

A/291
23 April 1947

ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

 

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

REQUEST BY THE SAUDI ARABIAN GOVERNMENT FOR THE INCLUSION OF AN
ADDITIONAL ITEM IN THE AGENDA OF THE FIRST SPECIAL SESSION
OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Royal Legation of Saudi Arabia,
2800-C Woodland Drive N.W.
Washington 8, D.C.

April 22, 1947
Excellency:

I have been instructed by my Government to request, in accordance with Rule 18 Provisional Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, that the following item be put on the Agenda of the Special Session which convenes on April 28th, 1947.

*"The termination of the mandate over Palestine and the declaration of its independence."

Accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Asad Al-Faqih
Minister
His Excellency
MAY 1 1947
 

 

A/293
24 April 1947

 
PROVISIONAL AGENDA

FIRST SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Circulated to the Members of the United Nations by the
Secretary-General, 13 April 1947

1. Opening of the Session by the Chairman of the Delegation of Belgium.
2. Election and Report of the Credentials Committee.
3. Election of the President.
4. Organization of the Session.
5. Adoption of the Agenda.

*6. Constituting and Instructing a Special Committee to prepare for the Consideration of the Question of Palestine at the Second Regular Session.

 

A/294
25 April 1947

 
SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY


1. The termination of the mandate over Palestine and the declaration of its independence.

 


A/297
30 April 1947

ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

ARTICLE 22 OF THE COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

1. To those colonies and territories which as a consequence of the late war have ceased to be under the sovereignty of the States which formerly governed them and which are inhabited by peoples not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world, there should be applied the principle that the well-being and development of such peoples form a sacred trust of civilization and that securities for the performance of this trust should be embodied in this Covenant.

2. The best method of giving practical effect to this principle is that the tutelage of such peoples should be entrusted to advanced nations who by reason of their resources, their experience or their geographical position can best undertake this responsibility, and who are willing to accept it, and that this tutelage should be exercised by them as Mandatories on behalf of the League.

3. The character of the mandate must differ according to the stage of the development of the people, the geographical situation of the territory, its economic condition and other similar circumstances.

4. Certain communities formerly belonging to the Turkish Empire have reached a stage of development where their existence as independent nations can be provisionally recognized. subject to the rendering of administrative advice and assistance by a Mandatory until such time as they are able to stand alone. The wishes of these communities must be a principal consideration in the selection of the Mandatory.


5. Other peoples, especially those of Central Africa, are at such a stage that the Mandatory must be responsible for the administration of the territory under conditions which will guarantee freedom of conscience and religion, subject only to the maintenance of public order and morals, the prohibition of abuses such as the slave trade, the arms traffic and the liquor traffic, and the prevention of the establishment of fortifications or military and naval bases and of military training of the natives for other than police purposes and the defence of territory, and will also secure equal opportunities for the trade and commerce of other Members of the League.

6. There are territories, such as South West Africa and certain of the South Pacific Islands, which, owing to the sparseness of their population, or their small size, or their remoteness from the centres of civilization, or their geographical contiguity to the territory of the Mandatory, and other circumstances, can be best administered under the laws of the Mandatory as integral portions of its territory, subject to the safeguards above mentioned in the interests of the indigenous population.

7. In every case of mandate, the Mandatory shall render to the Council an annual report in reference to the territory committed to its charge.

8. The degree of authority, control, or administration to be exercised by the Mandatory shall, if not previously agreed upon by the Members of the League, be explicitly defined in each case by the Council.

9. A permanent Commission shall be constituted to receive and examine the annual reports of the Mandatories and to advise the Council on all matters relating to the observance of the mandates.

top

 

Source: UNISPAL