By April 27, 2008 Read More →

U.N. Council Meets on Crisis, NY Sun, July 8, 1948.

UN Security CouncilEmergency Talks Set After Israel’s Plea to Bar War and Report of Egyptian Attack.

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The United Nations Security Council was called into emergency session today at Lake Success on the Palestine crisis after a telegram was received from the state of Israel asking the council to take action to prevent a renewal of the fighting. The council, which had met yesterday, was in recess today.

The Israeli Government told U. N. Secretary-General Trygve Lie that Egyptian forces had launched an offensive and said that a battle was now raging in south Palestine.

The telegram asked what the Security Council was prepared to do to halt the Egyptian attack. The message was signed by Foreign Minister Moshe Shertok. He said at the same time that Israel forces were ready “for most determined action on all fronts.”

Shertok notified Lie that the State of Israel had agreed to an extension of the Holy Land truce, but said the Arabs had refused to accept either a thirty-day extension or an emergency three-day prolongation to allow the withdrawal of U. N. personnel, which Count Bernadotte, the mediator, had asked.

He said the Egyptian attack began at 9 P. M. last night, New York time.

Two Armored Columns.

The telegram said that the Egyptian forces, consisting of two armored columns and infantry, launched an offensive against Jewish positions in South Palestine. “Battle now in progress.” the message said. “While its armed forces are ready for most determined action on all fronts, provisional government of Israel is most interested to learn what Security Council will decide in present emergency.”

Copies of the telegrams were given at once to all members of the council.

Most delegates were not prepared to say what the council was likely to do. But one big Power spokesman said it could be assumed that a move be made to invoke the U. N. charter’s most potent provisions against the Arabs.

Preparations were being made by U. N. officials to withdraw their personnel from Palestine if the Jewish-Arab truce is not extended. It was reported in informed quarters that Bernadotte has already completed plans to evacuate the staff if his efforts to prolong the armistice fail.

In addition to the ninety-three military observers provided by the United States, France and Belgium, more than 100 members of the U. N. secretariat, about half of whom are Americans, are now in Palestine, Cairo and Rhodes.

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