November 14, 1948 Harry Truman

“On November 14, 1948, The Palestine Post reported that US president Harry Truman had notified the British government that the US administration could no longer accept the joint Anglo-American policy for the political settlement of the Palestine question.  THE US WOULD NOT SUPPORT THE BRITISH RESOLUTION THAT THE NEGEV BE DIVIDED BETWEEN EGYPT AND TRANSJORDAN.

The UN Security council’s seven-member subcommittee on Palestine approved Dr. Ralph Bunche’s plan which would eventually demilitarize all the Negev.  The US, Britain, China, France Belgium and Colombia supported the plan.  Russia abstained.  The Israeli and Egyptian representatives were given one hour each to comment on the plan.

KING ABDULLAH OF TRANSJORDAN WAS PROCLAIMED ‘KING OF PALESTINE’ AT A CORONATION CEREMONY’ IN THE COPTIC CONVENT OF THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM. [THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM WAS UNDER JORDANIAN OCCUPATION UNTIL 1967]

One hundred and twenty new graves at the Majdal Muslim cemetery were inscribed: ‘Fell in action on October 10.’  About 20 were those of the Anglican church and other non-Muslims.

The British New Statesman and Nation wrote: ‘We lost and backed the wrong side.  The Jews are dizzy with success and we are dizzy with failure.  If both sides could overcome their vertigo and look dispassionately to their interests, a settlement could be achieved without difficulty and delay.’

The UN appealed for $20.5 million in voluntary contributions for Palestine Arab refugees.

The Last Egyptian stronghold facing Kibbutz Sa’ad was abandoned by the Egyptians. The UN provided food and medicines for Egyptian troops encircled at the Falujja area.

The editorial offices of all Cairo’s foreign-language newspapers were blown up, 11 workers were killed and many wounded”

Source: The Jerusalem Post, November 14, 2013, From our Archives