24
It is necessary, however, to mention some points on which there was very considerable discussion. On clause 4 the Polish delegation, supported by the South African delegation, urged that special provision should be made for investigation of the displaced persons camps in Europe, and the Arab group, equally strenuously, endeavoured to have inserted an express direction that these camps should be excluded from the consideration of the Committee. The final words "in Palestine and wherever it may deem useful" were inserted with the support of the majority, which on this, as on all other points, believed that the Committee of Inquiry should not be restricted in any way, but should have every authority to consider such questions as it found necessary. Four alternatives were proposed for the clause relating to the independence or the ultimate independence of the population or people of Palestine. The debate at this point was disturbed by a vigorous statement by the delegate for the Lebanon in which he said, in relation to the national aspirations of the Jewish people : " taking the small land of Palestine which has its Arab quality and character, and introducing people there and making them a majority, thereby creating a state of people coming from abroad, is certainly a matter of careful consideration and a matter of war which in normal times cannot be solved except by fighting." The UnitSd States delegation submitted a further alternative clause for the terms of reference in the following sense : " The Special Committee, in studying the future government of Palestine, shall give full consideration to guarantees of the rights necessary to the peace and independence of its people." This version appeared to give considerable difficulty to most delegations, and its clarity was not assisted by an amendment proposed by the Soviet delegation, which would alter it to read:— " The Special Committee, in studying the problem of Palestine, shall give full consideration to guarantees of the rights of its peoples necessary to the peace and independence of that country,"— a version which the United States delegation was at first inclined to accept and later rejected. After a lengthy debate, the French delegate, with the active support of the Australian and New Zealand delegates, proposed that there should be no provision whatsoever on this subject in order to leave the Committee completely free to consider all facts and material in relation to the problem. This proposal was adopted. On paragraph 5 of the sub-committee's report a similar effort was made to delete any reference to religious interests in Palestine, again in an endeavour to'avoid placing restrictions on the Committee. The •clause now appearing in the report of the Committee was carried, however, by a substantial majority which included practically all the Latin American delegations.
Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.
By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.
Your session has expired.