LAKE SUCCESS, Nov. 25 (AP)-The United Nations Palestine Committee by a vote of 25 to 13 approved late today the proposal to partition the Holy Land into Arab and Jewish nations as advocated by the United States and Russia and Zionist Jews but cold-shouldered by Britain. Seventeen countries abstained in the committee vote and two were absent.
If this same ratio holds tomorrow when the 57 nations on the committee meet in plenary session of the General Assembly the plan would fall one vote short of final approval.
Only a simple majority was needed for passage in the committee, but a two-thirds’ majority of those present and voting is needed in the plenary meeting scheduled for 11 a. m. tomorrow at Flushing Meadow Park, New York.
There was a possibility that some delegations might switch position overnight.
After the committee vote a leader of the Arab Higher Committee for Palestine told the press in a statement- “We know that tonight the United States and the Jewish agency will be exerting great effort to get the two-thirds’ majority.”
Egyptian Delegate Mahmoud Bey Fawzi immediately challenged the legality of the committee’s action.
“I do here reserve the right to consider this decision null and void,” Fawzi declared.
The partition scheme calls for the British to be out of Palestine by next August 1 and the establishment of two new nations there by October 1. A five-nation U. N. commission would be entrusted with administration during the transition period and the Security Council would be responsible for implementing the plan.
The vote came after the committee had spent most of the day considering a series of amendments, many of minor importance.
The committee roll-call vote by countries showed-
For partition- (25) Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, White Russia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Iceland, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Sweden, Ukraine, South Africa, Russia, the United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Against partition- (13) Afghanistan, Cuba, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Siam, Syria, Turkey, Yemen.
Abstained- (17) Argentina, Belgium, China, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Haiti, Honduras, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Britain, Yugoslavia.
Absent- (2) Paraguay, Philippines.