Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-19
Jerusa|emFight
Defyiing Control,
Bernadotte Says
Council Orders Urgent
Session Today on Plea
For Strong Action

II CATHOLIC PROPERTIES in
Palestine Violated by Jews, Vati-
can Told. Page Az.
BY the Associated Press
STOCKHOLM, Aug. 19.-The
United Nations Palestine medi-
ator warned the Security Council
today that the situation In
Jerusalem is gradually getting
out of hand" He said 1t Is
doubtful whether the Holy City
can be demilitarized in the near
future.
Count Folke Bernadotte, asking
the Council for prompt action to halt
the renewed Arab-Jewish strife, de-
clared in an interim report that the
Arabs have accepted In principle the
plan to disarm regular and irregular
troops in Jerusalem.
But the Jews, who stated initially
they did not exclude demilitariza-
ton, have shown no readiness to &C
cept it up till now" Count Berna-
dotte added.
CThe Council decided today
to meet in urgent session on Pal
estine at 2:30 o'clock this after
noon to act on Count Berna-
dotte'S request for action)
International Force Urged.
Under present conditions it would
be necessary to have a strong and
well-armed international force" to
bring about standardization of the
Holy City, the report said.
Demilitarization of Jerusalem has
been one Of the mediator's primary
aims in his negotiations with Jews
and Arabs. His latest attempt to
bring about a cease-fire failed to
halt the fighting there.
Count Bernadette's report ex-
pressed fear that the clashes might
bring about new full-scale warfare.
1T should be borne in mind that
further deterioration" of the situa-
ton in Jerusalem may lead to gen.
eral resumption of hostilities, he
said.
The mediator had asked Arabs
and Jews to accept new cease-fire
effective last Friday morning. But
the bitterest fighting since the Sec
ond Palestine truce began ragged
throughout last Friday night.
Both Ignore U. N. Authority.
Count Bernadotte's aides said Sc
curity Council action could take the
form of warnings or sanctions
against the side found to be violat-
ing the truce ordered by the Sc.
curity Council in a July Is resolu-
ton.
Under prevailing conditions II 10
dif1cult to assess responsibility and
idle to try to ascertain which Of the
parties is more to blame" Count
Bernadotte said, adding:
They both have come deliberately
to ignore the authority of the United
Nations
On Haifa it was learned yes
terday that the chief OF staff of
the U. N. Truce Commission, Gen.
A. Lundstroem, considers the re-
cent shooting in the Holy City
violations of the truce by both
Jews and Arabs
Four-Point Warning Suggested.
Should the present action of the
Security Council take the form OF
warning" Count Bernadotte said,
Il suggest that 1t should be clearly
pointed out to the parties:
Il. That responsibility will be as
sessed whether violations are due to
members of the opposing armies or
to dissident elements or irregulars.
%: That each party has a duty
to bring to justice its own dissident
elements and irregulars when they
violate the truce.
g. That reprisals and oscillations
are not permitted.
a. That no party will be allowed
to gain by any violation"
Dissidents Blamed.
The Jews have blamed "irrespon-
sible elements" and the Arabs "un-
comfortable irregulars" for some
truce violations.
Count Bernadotte said the prob
lem of maintaining the Jerusalem
cease-f1re is complicated by mutual
distrust of the parties" and lack of
a Sufficient number of observers
and transportation"
L Despite the efforts of himself and
observers, he added, mot only firing
has practically never ceased In Je-
rusalem, but the situation Is grad
ually getting out of hand"
Count Bernadette said his reports
from the Holy City declared gen.
eral tenseness Is locally mounting"
1.-THE situation is at present of Q
(See PALESTINE, Page A-5J