The Charlotte Observer · Charlotte, North Carolina · 2 August 1948

CP-1948-050

Bernadotte Would Permit Arab Refugees To Return To Homes In Jewish-Held Areas

Recommendation to U. N. Security Council

By Daniel De Luce, The Associated Press, Amman, Trans-Jordan

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Transcribed from the clipping

“AMMAN, Trans-Jordan, Aug.

1—(AP)—Count Folke Bernadotte said tonight he had recommended to the United Nations Security Council that Arab refugees be permitted freely to return to their homes in Jewish-held areas of Palestine during the present truce regardless of Jewish objections… The mediator’s staff estimates there are more than 300,000 homeless Arabs who fled the Holy Land during the fighting there.

Bernadotte said: ‘We will not waste one hour in starting detailed plans for their relief.’ The number of Jewish refugees, he explained, is not large. If the Security Council does not compel the Jews to accept the Arab repatriation, he said, international relief organizations are expected to extend aid to countries where the Arab refugees now are sheltered.…

Seeks Solution. “Describing the problems of Arab refugees and Jerusalem as ‘those nearest my heart,’ he said his current tour of Arab and Jewish capitals would chiefly be devoted to attempts at solution of the two.”… “Bernadotte said, ‘but I have told the Security Council that from a humanitarian point of view, and despite the enormous difficulties, there should be no conditions on the return of these poor people to their homes.’”… “‘Jerusalem’s demilitarization cannot be effected without an international police force and to build up such a force might take as long as two months,’ Bernadotte said.”… “Bernadotte’s staff meanwhile expressed concern at failure to obtain a full corps of truce observers.

Only 127 have arrived from the United States, France and Belgium of the 300 requested by the mediator.”… “King Abdullah will grant an audience to Bernadotte tomorrow before the mediator leaves for Jerusalem.”

Context added by this archive

Six weeks before Bernadotte was assassinated in Jerusalem. He puts the return of refugees to the Security Council as a humanitarian question with no conditions attached, and says so while standing in Amman.

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