Evening star., 1946-05-06
Palestine Delay
RAG GEDY

Committee of Inquiry on Palestine was set
up. Its membership consisted of six British
subjects as we'll as an equal number of Amer.
leans. All II unanimously recommended
that at the earliest possible date 100000
Jews be allowed to emigrate to Palestine.
There was nothing in the report recommend.
ing that this action be taken only after cer-
tain prior conditions had been fulfilled. Yet
this is precisely what the British government
now demands.
British Conditions More Delay.
In statement to the House of Commons
on Wednesday, and in message to the United
States about the same time, Prime Minister
Attlee indicated that Great Britain would
not open the doors of Palestine to any large
scale immigration until two conditions were
trst met. First, the United States would have
to agree to share the burden of carrying out
the committee recommendations, and, sec.
ond, the Jewish armed units in Palestine
would have to be disarmed. Standing alone,
these British aims have merit. There is no
place in an orderly country, be it Pales.
tine or China, for private armies. Moreover,
the United States has world responsibility
that goes with world leadership. From
purely selfish as we'll as from humanitarian
point of view we have stake in the Middle
East as we have a stake in every area where
the play of international rivalries is capable
of generating conflict. Palestine happens to
be not only land sacred to three great reig.
ions, it is an area of tremendous strategic
importance. Certainly we ought to share in
the maintenance of peace in the Middle
East.
Forgotten Contribution TO Britain's Victory
But the primary responsibility for the de-
tense of Palestine and the maintenance of
order in that country belongs to Great Britain
until different arrangement is made. In.
deed, were Great Britain really determined
to carry out the immigration recommenda.
tlons OF the Anglo-American report, the prob.
lem of the $4,000 or more members of the
Jewish armies in Palestine would cause no
concern. Those individuals are only too eager
to see Palestine opened wide. They would
constitute no threat to internal security in
Palestine if Britain pursued policy in line
with the Balfour Declaration and the League
of Nations mandate Their war record is it's
own testimony. During the war the number
ofPalestinian Jews who Joined British forces
was, in proportion to their numbers, very
great. Out of Jewish population in Palestine
only half that of the Arabs, the Jews con.
tributed four times as many soldiers as did
the Arabs and eight times as many on the
basis of total population.
How Sincere Is Britoin?
1t is difficult, reading Mr. Attlee's state.
ment, to avoid the suspicion that he is stall.
ing for time, and that the device of setting up
the Committee Of Inquiry had for its chief
aim the delaying of action, even though be.
fore the committee met action was desper-
ately needed. The plight of the Jews of
Europe over which Mr.. Bevin shed so MANY
tears last November, cannot brook further
delay. 0ron, The Washington POST ..
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