Evening star., 1948-10-16
German Tools Really French7
Shrinking Jewish State

10 the Editor OF The Star:
1t Is inconceivable that the United Nations
General Assembly will allow itself to be STAN
peded into reversing its long g-deliberated deci-
sion of November 20, 1s47, and accept the
Bernadotte plan for q drastic revision of the
boundaries Of the Jewish state.
1t would be a negation of the entire concept
OF U. N. as deliberative body If the recon-
mendations OF one individual could be made to
upset the considered Judgment Of an over
whelming majority Of the nations Of the world,
based on months Of on-the-spot investigation
by special committee Of U. N.
1t was most unfortunate that Secretary
Marshall saw fit to indorse the plan at
moment when the world was recoiling from
the tragic assassination Of September II. But
this wanton and senseless murder should not
bind us to the gross injustices which the plan
would impose upon the people Of Israel
Count Bernadotte was named by the Security
Council as mediator In the Palestine question.
He was to mediate the differences between the
Jews and the Arabs. Failing in this, his mission
virtually came to an end. His function and
authority did not include proposals for q new
political settlement.
1t should be clear to men Of good will vhy
posab. Their manifest injustice stands out In
bold relief when viewed against the background
OF events that occurred since the issuance of
the Balfour Declaration. Twice before the Jews
have witnessed major partitions of their land
in order to effect final" settlement of the
Palestine problem At the close of World War
I, when the Turkish Empire was liquidated by
the victorious Allies there were carved out of
1t a number of independent Arab states with an
area totaling over 100000 square miles. As
against this, one tiny segment of that empire,
comprising an area Of $4,000 square miles on
both sides OF the Jordan, was set aside for the
Jewish people as solution to their centuries
old problem of national homelessness. That
disposition had the Endorsement Of 50 nations
OF the world, and thus became part Of the
law of nations.
The ink was hardly dry on the Mandate for
Palestine when the Mandatory, in 1922, ma.
neuvered the first major partition of the land
Trans-Jordan, comprising over $4,000 square
miles, was cut Of from Palestine and puppet
government under Abdullah set up. This was
to be the final settlement Of the problem of
Palestine, and the Jews accepted it, though
not without misgivings. The Jewish national
home was thus shrunk from $4,000 to 10000
square miles.
Twenty-Five years later, on November 20,
1s47, the second partition was made when the
United Nations General Assembly reduced the
Jewish state to approximately $500 square
miles. This included $500 square miles of
undeveloped land in the southern half of
Palestine (the NegebI The U. N. decision
fell far short Of meeting what the Jews re-
garded as their historic and legal rights, but
they acceded reluctantly to the compromise
solution, which involved great sacrifices for
them but which they were prepared to accept
as an immediate and final settlement Of the
Palestine problem. The spokesmen for the
Jewish people. in accepting this new partition,
made it abundantly clear that the basis for
the acceptance OF any compromise was the
Wability Of the partitioned area. And the
Negeb represented the difference between .
viable and nonviable Jewish state.
Count Bernadotte's proposal seeks to impose
third partition on the Jewish state It
would cut of the entire Negeb, thereby rele-
eating the State Of Israel to an area of 21so
square miles, or about two-thirds the size of
Yellowstone Park. This geographical decapi-
tation would mean strangling the young state
in its infancy by depriving it of the waters
and mineral resources of the Dead Sea and
Of the scientific utilization Of the Negeb's re-
sources-resources which the new state must
have to sustain itself economically. And it
would forever close the one avenue Of hope
for the hundreds Of thousands Of Jews still
lingering in the concentration camps Of Europe
and elsewhere, by cutting from the State OF
Israel the only area where large-scale settle
ment of refugees could be undertaken.
There is q limit beyond which no self-re.
specting people will 60. The people of Israel
accepted in good faith the final settlement
voted by, the United Nations Assembly. And
they have defended that settlement with heavy
sacrifice Of life and property. Simple justice
demands that they be not asked to make fur
ther sacrifices Of their land. The U. N. should
not place q premium upon acts Of aggression
committed In violation Of It's solemn decisions.
A. L. 3.