'File 11/32 Royal Commission on Palestine' [‎145r] (289/308)

From
Foreign Office, London.
His Majesty's Representatives
«I? L
- 0
To
No.60 Intel
Dated 1.10 p.m. 6th February, 1948
CONFIDENTIAL
The refusal of‘His Majesty's Government to agree to the
earlier arrival of the United Nations Commission in Palestine
before May 1st has led to widespread accusations of obstruction
and consequent loss of goodwill.
2. The fact is that His Majesty's Government have no intention
of obstructing the Commission's work, and ere doing their best to
fit the Commission's requiremette into their plans for withdrawal
from Palestine.
3 . We are advised that the arrival of the Commission will almost
certainly be the signal for a general flare-up of violence in
Palestine. In this connexion it might be well to recall that the
arrival of an International Commission in Mogadishu led to serious
trouble. The situation in Palestine is infinitely more complicat
ed and dangerous, and, whereas the Commission which visited Mogad
ishu was merely on an exploratory mission, the Commission planning
to go to Palestine will be arriving to enforce a decision which
has been rejected not only by the majority of the inhabitants of
the country itself but by every one of the neighbouring eentpels.
countries.
4. It is however not necessary for the Commission itself to go
to Palestine in order to begin its preparatory work there. The
Palestine Government have offered to receive members of its
Secretariat at any time, and this offer has been communicated to
the Commission in New York by Sir A. Cadogan. It is surely better
even from the Commission's point of view that its staff should be
able to start work in a relatively calm atmosphere rather to arrive
with the Commission itself and to find the country in chaos.
5. While this concession should be emphasised it should also be
pointed out that His Majesty's Government have consistently and
publicly stated, from the beginning, that Britain could not be a
party to the imposition of any decision on Palestine which was not
acceptable to both Jews and Arabs. It follows that the Commission
cannot begin to enforce the partition plan while the mandatory povei
is responsible for maintaining order
6 . We have, too, the responsibility to our own troops and police
which we should not be ashamed to stress, in view of the extreme
reluctance which has been so far shown by other members of the
United Nations to volunteer to take their place.
CONFIDENTIAL
oOo
PERSIANGULF RESIDENCY An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India.
.
No,491-S
BAHRAI N
the 24th February 1948
#
Copy forwarded with compliments tos-
1. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. ,
KUWAIT
2. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency.
BAHHA1M
3. The Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. ,
MUSCAT
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