Evening star., 1946-07-27
Britain Accepts Plan
To Divide Palestine
Into Arab, Jew Areas
BY the Associated Press

LONDON, July 27.-The For
eign Office today announced
British acceptance, as basis
for negotiation, of a proposal
to divide Palestine into Jewish
and Arab provinces under a
federal government.
Negotiations on the plan for fed
Grafton, q spokesman said, would
be conducted with Arabs and Jews
IN London with a view to complet-
ing them before the meeting of the
United Nations Assembly in Sep
tember.
The proposal is the outcome of
discussions by members of a British
American Cabinet Committee on
Palestine, which the Foreign Office
said completed work yesterday.
An American member of the COM
mittee refused to comment on re-
ports that the committee had recon-
mended $50,0O00O0 American
grant to finance development prof.
ects in Palestine on behalf of the
Arabs.
Americans to Meet Byrnes.
The committees recommendation
this member pointed out, have been
submitted to Washington, and inso-
far as American members are con-
cerned, any disclosures must come
from there. The British Foreign
ONCE denied any knowledge of a
recommendation for a grant.
American committee members will
leave tomorrow for Paris where they
Will meet Secretary of State Byrnes
Mr.. Byrnes disclosed in Washing
ton last night that the Cabinet Com
mlttee had adopted plan for the
division of Palestine.
tMr. Byrnes said he planned to
confer on Monday with the three
American members of Joint
Anglo-American Committee on
Palestine to fix American policy
on the committees proposal for
dividing Palestine in connection
with the plan for immigration of
100000 Jews.)
Jewish Acceptance Uncertain.
Ihe basis of representation and
date for the conference with Jews
ana Arabs have not been fixed, but
the discussions need not wait for the
end of the Paris peace conference
Foreign Office spokesman said.
Well-informed Jewish sources in
Paris said Jewish acceptance of the
plan might depend on whether 100
300 Jews are admitted to the Holy
Land Immediately. David Ben
Gurion. chairman of the Jewish
Agency, who is in Paris. refused to
comment on the plan, however, until
ne had seen the official text of the
proposals and discussed it with his
associates. A conference of the Jew
lsh Agency Executive opens in Paris
next week.
Some other Zionists and some
Arab spokesmen, however, were
prompt in outright denunciation of
The scheme. DR.. Izzat famous, re-
tlring secretary of the defunct Arab
Higher Committee, in Palestine. de-
clared the scheme would mean per
oetual war in the Middle East.
I'VE are absolutely against It,"
said A. Abrahamson. member of the
World Executive of the New Zionist
Organization. I'VE regard it as an
evasion"
He said the projected conference
with Arabs and Jews was an at
tempt to avoid having the Palestine
question brought before the United
Nations Assembly in September.
In Cairo, an Arab League state
ment said the Arabs would fight
division just as they fought ia-
migation of 100000 Jews and crea-
ton of Jewish national home in
Palestine. DR.. Yacoub Khoury. head
Of the Palestine Arab Association in
Cairo, said the scheme could not be
carried out unless America makes
use of the atom bomb"
Refuse to Talk With Jews.
In Palestine. Dr. Hussein Khalidi.
secretary of the Arab Executive. de-
clared the Arabs of Palestine will
refuse fatty and definitely to sit at
any round table with Jews as we
have refused time and again. s.'
We will not negotiate with Jews
because We DO not consider them
legal participants in any discussion
Of the future of Palestine"
British government sources said
Prime Minister Attlee probably will
disclose the details of the plan dur
ing debate in the House of Commons
next Wednesday.
A Foreign Office spokesman said
it was incorrect to describe the pro-
posal as calling for partition of
Palestine. since use of that word
Implied the setting up of two sov-
6rei0n