Arabs May Boycott the Peace Talks, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, June 12, 1948.

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AMMAN, Trans-Jordan, June 11 (AP)-Trans-Jordan’s Premier predicted today the Arabs may refuse to sit at the same conference table with the Jews at peace talks on the Island of Rhodes.

That, he said, has been the “traditional” policy of the Arabs.

Premier Tewfik Abul Huda told newsmen the Arab states still are unwilling to accept partition of the Holy Land. He declared that “certainly no results” can be expected from the peace discussions if the Jews persist in their demands of a Jewish state.

Tewfik said the Arabs agreed to the truce because Count Folke Bernadotte, United Nations mediator, “repeatedly said” he would not be bound by previous decisions concerning Palestine and had suggested the Rhodes discussions might lead to a solution which the Arabs could accept as “fair to both sides.”

The Premier said the Arab countries decided to accept the Bernadotte truce proposal after getting a personal request from British Foreign Secretary Bevin.

He denied there had been any British pressure. He termed Bevin’s request a “sincere effort to help the U. N. in achieving peace in Palestine.”

Until solution of the problem is reached, he said, civil administration of Palestine will go ahead on it present basis, but under direction of a military governor and with “subsidization” by the occupying countries.

The Premier remarked that any decisions reached at Rhodes “naturally” would have to be approved by the U. N. before becoming effective.

He said he did not think the Rhodes talks could get started for at least a week.

“We are hopeful,” he said, “that the discussion with Count Bernadotte will result in a fair solution of the Palestine problem and guarantee a lasting peace.”

The Premier said the Arabs still are ready to accept Jews of Palestinian nationality into a unified state in which future immigration would be controlled by legislation.

The Arab fight against the proposed Jewish state, he said, is inspired by a “real sense of danger.”

“The Jewish change in policy from one of industrial, economic and cultural co-operation in Palestine, to one of territorial demands,” he said, “indicated they might further change their political aims to seek the domination of all Arab countries, Therefore our fight is in self-defense.”