Evening star., 1948-07-17
Council and Arubs
even now


In ordering q new Palestine truce on the
basis of the resolution pressed by the
United States, the Security Council has
taken its strongest action to date in the
young and troubled history of the United
Nations. The action consists of threaten
ing to invoke the provisions of Chapter
VII of the Charter unless the Jews and
Arabs agree to put down their arms. This
means that II either side refuses, it will
be leaving itself open to sanctions of an
economic, and political nature, and perhaps
though remotely-eyen to military force.
Since the Jews have already agreed in
principle to a new truce, the order is
addressed primarily to the Arabs. II they
reject it, then the Security Council will
give immediate consideration" to the idea
of penalizng them by resorting to the
measures set forth in Articles Al and AZ
of Chapter VII. Such measures could
include complete or partial interruption
of economic relations and of rail, sea, air,
postal, telegraphic, radio and other means
of communication" In addition, assuming
the U. MS ability to organize it, they could
include the use of armed power in the form
of demonstrations, blockade, and other
operations by air, sea or land forces OF
members of the United Nations"
Thus, If the Arabs ignore the Council
order, they will be challenging the U. N.
to carry out the threat of sanctions, and
the challenge will then have to be met or
a dangerous blow will be struck at the
whole idea of concerted international
action to preserve peace. On the other
hand, II the sanctions are applied, the
nations Of the Arab League-embittere
and passionate in their opposition to
partitioned Palestine-may respond with
reprisals Of their own, including cancella-
ton Of American oil concessions. Looked
at in any light, therefore, lack of CO.
operation by the Arabs can be hurtful to
nearly every party concerned, not least of
all themselves.
It is because Of this very fact, however,
because the Arabs themselves have much
to lose from refusing to obey the Council,
that truce throughout Palestine seems
probable, the more so because they have
agreed to q cease-hre in Jerusalem.
After all, the truce itself would commit
them to nothing more than a peaceful
effort to arrive at satisfactory settle
ment with the Jews through further
discussion on the basis of the proposals
made recently by Count Folke Bernadotte,
the United Nations mediator. Those pro-
posals are not in any sense final They
are aimed merely at stimulating counter
proposals for kind Of compromise be-
tween the U. N. majority plan for partition
and the minority plan for single, BIZ
national state. Though envisioning an
independent Israel, they differ from the
majority idea and are not unfavorable to
the Arabs
Actually, in ordering the truce by a vote
Of seven to one, the Security Council has
not prejudged the situation. It's main
concern has been to keep the renewed
Palestine strife from drifting into a war
that could engulf, as Count Bernadotte
has warned, the entire Middle East, If
not the world at large. In joining the
majority in support of the order, the
British-who can veto sanctions-have
been at pains to assert that the Arab
position Is "insuficiently appreciated"
and that they "do not indorse any sug-
gestion that the Arabs are aggressors or
that justice in the dispute is all on one
side" Britain in other words, has voted
for a suspension of hostilities not because
1t favors Israel, but because such a suspen-
sion is essential to peace in the Holy Land
"a mutually satisfactory peace worked out
on the basis of fair give -andtake.
Under a new truce, with just mediation
and with willingness to compromise on
the part of both sides, it should be possible
for the Arabs and Jews to work out a
political and economic settlement enabling
them to live and prosper together. But
before any progress can be made to that
end, the use of armed force in the dispute
must be halted indefinitely. The provi-
sional government of Israel is willing to
obey the Council on that point. If the
nations of the Arab League do not follow
suit, they will be hurting their own cause.
That cause is not without merit but they
will not enlist sympathy in behalf of it
If they insist on war instead of conciliation
and peace. In the long run, such course
can hardly lead to anything but evil for
themselves as well as others.
Dr.. Condon's Clearance
The Atomic Energy Commissions state
mont m nr Eduor TT Tondon ought tn