Evening star., 1947-10-11
Text of Palestine Statement
by the Associotsd Press

BY ths Assoeiotsd Press
LAKE SUCCESS, Oct. 1.-The
tert OF the American policy dec
lardtion on Palestine delipered
today by Delegate Herschel v.
johnson to the United Nations
Assembly's 57-n1ember Commit
tee on Palestine:
l. The problem of the future gov
ernment of Palestine confronts the
General Assembly of the United
Nations with a heavy and complex
responsibility. The General Assem-
bly,, having assumed responsibility
for making recommendations to the
United Kingdom on the subject,
must do everything within its power
to evolve practical solution con-
sistent with the principles laid down
in the United Nations Charter.
2. The United States delegation
feels that the urgency Of the prob
lem is so great that the General As
sembly must recommend solution
at this session. The degree of
urgency has been brought to our
attention by continued violence in
Palestine. by the context of the
special committees report, and by
the statement of the delegate from
the United Kingdom regarding the
recommendations of the committee
and future British responsibilities
in Palestine.
8. During the past weeks this COM
mittee has had the benefit of the
views of several member of this COM
mittee, and has heard statements
by the representatives of the Arab
Higher Committee and the Jewish
Agency for Palestine on behalf of
the peoples primarily concerned.
The United States delegation be-
lieves that this discussion has been
OF material assistance and hopes
/ that it will continue on the broadest
EbRsiss lie
Backed Jews National Home.
4. 1t may be recalled that as a
result of the First World War. a
large area of the Near East. includ-
ing Palestine, was liberated and a
number of states gained their in
dependence. The United States
having contributed its blood and
resources to the winning of that war,
felt that it could not divest itself of
a certain responsibility for the man.
ner in which the freed territories
were disposed Of, or for the fate of
the peoples liberated at that time.
1t took the position that these
peoples should be prepared for self
government and also that national
home for the Jews should be estab-
lished in Palestine. The United
States Government has subsequently
had long and friendly relations with
the independent states which we're
created in the Near East and Is
happy to note that most of them
are members of the United Nations
and have representatives present at
this meeting.
b 5. 1t may be recalled, with regard
to Palestine, that in 1917 the govern
ment of the United Kingdom, in the
statement known as the Balfour
Declaration, announced that it
viewed with favor the establishment
in Palestine of a national home for
the Jewish people and that it would
Use It's best endesvors to facilitate
the achievement of that object. it
being clearly understood that moth
ing should be done which might
prejudice the civil and religious
rights of existing non-Jewish COM
munities in Palestine or the rights
and political status enjoyed by Jews
in any other country In 1923 the
objectives stated in this declaration
were embodied in the League of Ma
tions mandate for Palestine which
was entrusted to the government of
the United Kingdom as mandatory.
As the United States was not men,
Der of the League of Nations, a con-
vention was concluded between the
United States and the United King
dom in 1924 with regard to American
rights in Palestine. The Palestine
mandate Is embodied in the pre-
amble to this convention. The United
States consented to this mandate.
Members of this committee are
aware of the situation which subse-
quently developed in Palestine and
of the many efforts which have been
made to achieve a settlement. We
now have before us report of the
special committee of the United Ma
tions with regard to the Palestine
question.
Partition Supported.
6. The United States delegation
supports the basic principles of the
unanimous recommendations and
the majority plan which provides for
partition and immigration. It is of
the opinion, however, that Ger.
tain amendments and notifications
would have to be made in the ma
jority plan in order more accurately
to give effect to the principles on
which that plan is based. My dele
cation believes that certain geo.
graphical notifications must be
made. For example, Jaffa should be
included in the Arab state because it
is predominantly an Arab city.
My delegation suggests that the
General Assembly may wish to pro-
vide that all the inhabitants of
Palestine, regardless Of citizenship
or place of residence, be guaranteed
access to ports and to water and
power facilities on a rondiscrimina-