By April 27, 2008 Read More →

British Quit Palestine, United Press, San Francisco Chronicle, July 1, 1948.

Count Folke BernadotteClick here to view the original article.

Details of Peace Plan Reported

LAKE SUCCESS, June 30 (U.P.)-The United Nations Palestine mediator has proposed secretly a Palestine peace settlement in which the Arabs would receive control of Jerusalem and recognize a modified Jewish State of Israel, it was reported authoritatively today.

The mediator, Count Folke Bernadotte, was reported also to have suggested that the current Palestine armistice be prolonged. It is due to expire nine days from now.

There was virtually no hope that either side would accept Bernadotte’s first-round suggestions for Arab control of Jerusalem and recognition of a somewhat diminished Jewish State.

ONLY TENTATIVE

As the Swedish diplomat himself pointed out, the suggestions were merely a first stab at finding a compromise between the sharply conflicting Arab and Israeli stands on the future of the Holy Land.

“The primary view.” Bernadotte said in a cable to the security council, was to discover “if there may be found at this stage of the mediation a common ground on which further discussion and mediation can proceed.”

(Associated Press reported Bernadotte disclosed he has invited Jewish and Arab leaders to Rhodes for separate Palestine discussions.

(In his report to the security council the U. N. mediator said he had outlined his views and suggestions in three brief papers which were handed the Arabs and Jews Monday and Tuesday.

NO PLANS

(At the same time, he said, he had suggested that both parties send representatives to his headquarters on the Island of Rhodes to discuss the proposals or to offer any counterproposals. He stressed that he had no plans at present for a joint round-table discussion.)

Authoritative sources revealed the Swedish peace-maker put forward several important alterations in the boundaries allotted Israel in the original U. N. partition program. These boundaries are now held by the fledgling state.

The most significant of these alterations was said to be the allotment of a good chunk of the Negeb, the south Palestinian desert area, to the Arabs.

Most other details were still secret.

State of Israel Takes Over Port of Haifa

HAIFA, June 30 (AP)-Israel’s Star of David banner replaced the Union Jack over Haifa harbor tonight as the last British troops pulled out of Palestine.

Britain’s 31 years of military power in the strategic Middle East land ended quietly and calmly, in contrast to the years of intermittent violence that swept the Holy Land when first Arabs, then Jews revolted and finally fought each other.

At the flag-hoisting ceremony, David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s Premier, described the evacuation as “one of the greatest days in the State of Israel’s history.”

“We are prepared to forget this shameful British chapter in the history of Palestine if they will stop war against us,” he continued. “During the last two years they have been fighting us with the white paper (which limited Jewish immigration) enforced by British soldiers and police, and during the last half year they have been fighting us with Arab mercenaries.”

LAST SOLDIERS

Evacuation of the last 2500 British soldiers began before dawn and was completed shortly after noon when the British flag was hauled down.

Their withdrawal-more than a month ahead of the original August 1 target date-was a precise military operation. Gunposts, tanks and circling planes covered the movement of the 2500 troops back to the docks. Finally, all that remained under British control was a small area ringed by barbed wire.

That, too, passed from British control as Lieutenant General Gordon H. A. Macmillan stepped aboard a ship’s boat a few moments after the Union Jack was pulled down from the harbor office.

A United Nations truce observer, Colonel Joe Hoffman of Baltimore, Md., said the U. N. will supervise the administration by Jewish authorities of Haifa’s port. 25,000 REFUGEES

He said 25,000 Jewish refugees interned by the British at Cyprus would e shipped to Palestine immediately. Six U. N. observers were sent to Cyprus to supervise the embarkation. Men of military age among the refugees will be interned in Palestine during the U. N. truce period, Hoffman explained. The four-day truce has 10 days yet to run.
(United Press reported the Jews immediately took over the Haifa port area and six hours later unveiled Israel’s hitherto secret “navy,” a mixed assortment of tugs, corvettes and transports, which rocked gently in the harbor just vacated by the British.)

Two Arab Monarchs Insist on Full Control

CAIRO, June 30 (AP)-King Abdullah of Trans-Jordan and King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia pledged themselves today to a finish fight for “complete Arab independence and control” in Palestine.

A communique issued simultaneously by the two monarchs and their Cabinets declared Abdullah and Ibn Saud “are in complete agreement regarding Arab national aspirations.”

The communique was issued in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, and made public at Arab League headquarters here. The two monarchs have been conferring in Riyadh.

“We are in complete agreement on support of the Arab League,” the royal communique said, “and all its decisions made within the provisions of its charter and the limits of its responsibilities.

“We have faith in Arab League claims, which are to insure consolidation of peace in the Middle East. This can only be achieved by maintenance of Arabs’ rights and a guarantee of the independence of their countries.”

Comments are closed.