1. The problem of the future
government of Palestine confronts the General Assembly of the United Nations
with a heavy and complex responsibility. The General Assembly, having assumed
responsibility for making recommendations to the United Kingdom on the subject,
must do everything within its power to evolve a practical solution consistent
with the principles laid down in the United Nations Charter.
2. The United States Delegation feels
that the urgency of the problem is so great that the General Assembly must
recommend a solution at this session. The degree of urgency has been brought to
our attention by continued violence in Palestine, by the context of the Special
Committee's report,(3) and by the statement of
the delegate from the United Kingdom regarding the recommendations of the
Committee and future British responsibilities in Palestine.
3. During the past weeks this
Committee has had the benefit of the views of several members of this
Committee, and has heard statements by the representatives of the Arab Higher
Committee and the Jewish Agency for Palestine on behalf of the peoples
primarily concerned. The United States Delegation believes that this discussion
has been of material assistance and hopes that it will continue on the broadest
basis.
4. It may be recalled that as a
result of the First World War, a large area of the Near East, including
Palestine, was liberated and a number of states gained their independence. The
United States, having contributed its blood and resources to the winning of
that war, felt that it could not divest itself of a certain responsibility for
the manner in which the freed territories were disposed of, or for the fate of
the peoples liberated at that time. It took the position that, these peoples
should be prepared for self-government and also that a national home for the
Jews should be established in Palestine. The United States Government has
subsequently had long and friendly relations with the independent states which
were created in the Near East and is happy to note that most of them are
members of the United Nations and have representatives present at this meeting.
5. It may be recalled, with regard to
Palestine, that in 1917 the Government of the United Kingdom, in the statement
known as the Balfour Declaration, announced that it
viewed with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the
Jewish people and that it would use its best endeavors to facilitate the achievement
of that object, it being clearly understood that nothing should be done which
might prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish
communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in
any other country. In 1923 the objectives stated in this Declaration were
embodied in the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine which was entrusted to
the Government of the United Kingdom as mandatory. As the United States was not
a member of the League of Nations, a Convention was concluded between the
United States and the United Kingdom in 1924 with regard to American rights in
Palestine. The Palestine Mandate is embodied in the Preamble to this
Convention. The United States consented to this Mandate. Members of this
Committee are aware of the situation which subsequently developed in Palestine
and of the many efforts which have been made to achieve a settlement. We now
have before us a report of the Special Committee of the United Nations with
regard to the Palestine Question.
6. The United States Delegation
supports the basic principles of the unanimous recommendations and the majority
plan which provides for partition and immigration. It is of the opinion, however,
that certain amendments and modifications would have to be made in the majority
plan in order more accurately to give effect to the principles on which that
plan is based. My delegation believes that certain geographical modifications
must be made. For example, Jaffa should be included in the Arab State because
it is predominantly an Arab city.
My delegation suggests that the
General Assembly may wish to provide that all the inhabitants of Palestine,
regardless of citizenship or place of residence, be guaranteed access to ports
and to water and power facilities on a non-discriminatory basis; that
constitutional guarantees, including guarantees regarding equal economic
opportunity, be provided for Arabs and Jews alike, and that the powers of the Joint
Economic Board be strengthened. Any solution which this Committee recommends
should not only be just, but also workable and of a nature to command the
approval of world opinion.
7. The United States Delegation
desires to make certain observations on the carrying out of such
recommendations as the General Assembly may make regarding the future
government of Palestine. The General Assembly did not, by admitting this item
to its agenda, undertake to assume responsibility for the administration of
Palestine during the process of transition to independence. Responsibility for
the government of Palestine now rests with the mandatory power. The General
Assembly, however, would not fully discharge its obligation if it did not take
carefully into account the problem of implementation.
8. Both the majority report and the
statement of the United Kingdom representative in this Committee raise the
problem of carrying into effect the recommendations of the General Assembly. We
note, for example, that the majority report indicates several points at which
the majority thought the United Nations could be of assistance. It was
suggested that the General Assembly approve certain steps involved in the
transitional period, that the United Nations guarantee certain aspects of the
settlement concerning Holy Places and minority rights, that the Economic and
Social Council appoint three members of the Joint Economic Board, and that the
United Nations accept responsibility as administering authority of the City of
Jerusalem under an international trusteeship.
9. The United States is willing to
participate in a U. N. program to assist the parties involved in the
establishment of a workable political settlement in Palestine. We refer to
assistance through the U. N. in meeting economic and financial problems and the
problem of internal law and order during the transition period. The latter
problem might require the establishment of a special constabulary or police
force recruited on a volunteer basis by the U. N. We do not refer to the
possibility of violation by any member of its obligations to refrain in its
international relations from the threat or use of force. We assume that there
will be Charter observance.
10. In the final analysis the problem
of making any solution work rests with the people of Palestine. If new
political institutions are to endure, they must provide for early assumption by
the people themselves of the responsibility for their own domestic order. Acts
of Violence against constituted authority and against rival elements of the
local population have appeared in Palestine over a period of many years and
have greatly increased the difficulties of finding a workable solution to this
complex problem. Certain elements have resorted to force and terror to obtain
their own particular aims. Obviously, this violence must cease if independence
is to be more than an empty phrase in the Holy Land.
11. Mr. Chairman, we must now consider
how this committee is to take the next step in dealing with this question. If
the committee favors the principles of the majority plan, we should establish a
subcommittee to work out the details of a program which we could recommend to
the GA [General Assembly].
12. The recommendations reached by the
GA will represent the collective opinion of the world. The problem has thus far
defied solution because the parties primarily at interest have been unable to
reach a basis of agreement. This is a problem in the solution of which world opinion
can be most helpful.
Notes:
(1) Department of State Bulletin of
October 19, 1947, pp. 761-762. The question of Palestine was brought before the
United Nations by the Government of the United Kingdom in a letter to the
Secretary- General dated April 2, 1947, which requested the Secretary-General
to place the question of Palestine on the agenda of the General Assembly at its
next regular session. Back
(2) Statement made at meeting of the
ad hoc Committee on Palestine of the General Assembly on October 111 1947, and
released to the press by the United States Mission to the United Nations on the
same date. Herschel V. Johnson was the United States Deputy Representative to
the United Nations. Back
(3) For recommendations of this report
(UN Doc. A/364, Sept. 3, 1947), see Department of State Bulletin of September
21, 1947, p. 546. Back
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