Evening star., 1948-03-21
Agency Chairman
Says Their State
Will Be Defended
BY the Asseeioisd Press

The chairman of the Jewish
Agency tonight rejected any
form of foreign trusteeship for
Palestine. He said the Jewish
state already has come into be-
ing and will be defended by
Jewish force.
David Ben Gurion, chairman of
the agency, said Jews alone will de-
eide the fate of their state. He said
they would not accept either a
temporary or permanent trusteeship.
The United States has urged
temporary United Nations trustee
ship after proposing that partition
of Palestine into Arab and Jewish
states be shelved.
The Arabs were confused as to
whether they would keep on shoot
ing.
Bitter Fighting Continues.
But bitter fighting continued in
the Holy land despite the moves at
Lake Success. In at least a dozen
places Jewish and Arab warriors
clashed, as Christians prepared for
tomorrow'S Palm Sunday worship.
Two unidentified planes were re-
ported involved in one action.
In Beirut, Lebanon, Emil Ghoury
OF the Palestine Arab Higher Execu-
tive said Arab forces in Palestine
would hold their positions and await
the ultimate result of the change in
American policy.
However, Fawzi Bey AL Kaukji,
commander of the Arab Peoples
Army. threatened to launch ma ior
field operation against the Jews in
the next few days.
At his headquarters in Palestine's
Samaritan Mountains, Kaukpi told
a reporter:
I'VE did not come here to fight
partition but to fight Zionism.
Whether America supports partition
or opposes it makes no difference
in our plans"
Declared Blow to U. N.
The Jewish Militia, Hagana, issued
statement, saying:
The attempt of the United States
to make invalid the United Nations
(partition) decision on Palestine is
a blow to the United Nations more
than to the Jewish state. = We
build Jewish Palestine with sweat
and will defend 1t with blood"
Both Jewish and Arab informants
suggested that the Importance OF
the Middle East's vast oil resources
influenced the United States de-
cision to abandon partition.
Hashim Bey Jaousy, Mayor OF
Tulkarm said:
Personally I agree with the Arab
spokesman at Lake Success who
said the United States was afraid
Russias support of partition is a
means for Russia to invate the Mid
die East and obtain its oil resources. -
Oil Pipeline Mentioned.
A spokesman of the Jewish
Agency said: "Oil has apparently
become more expensive and more
important to the United States than
| Jewish blood. 1t is not altogether
surprising that the United States
should sell out the Jewish state in
favor of its own aims"
In Beirut, where Arab leaders are
in session, Premier Jamil Mardam
Bey of Syria indicated the change
in American policy may help clear
the way for the 5000 100000 pipeline
from Saudi Arabian oil fields to the
Mediterranean.
A 32-member provisional council
| for Palestine was established several
weeks ago by the Jewish Agency
and the Jewish National Council
tVaad Leuml. Persons have been
designated for most of the Is cab
met chairs. One Jewish spokesman
said that if state based on this
framework is proclaimed, it will be
up to the United Nations to recog-
nize it. ignore it or suppress it.
In his statement, Mr.. Ben Gurion
said that the Jews have laid the
foundations and would decide the
fate of the country. I'VE will not
accept any trusteeship at all either
temporary or permanent be de-
clared. I'VE will not accept any
foreign rule of our state.
I'VE will insist on speedy liqui-
dation of British rule in Palestine
and on British evacuation without
any delay
The Jewish state exists already.
(See PALESTINE, Page A-4)