FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1949, VOLUME VI


that Israel would take part in a plan which would oblige these citizens
to live under another administration against their will"; and the
"Arab Position," which stated in part that the Arab States "have
recently indicated their acquiescence in an international regime for
the City. This position is believed entirely due to their present un-
favorably [unfavorable] military position and that it expresses a wish
for an international bulwark against further Israeli expansion....
The Arabs have been unanimous in making their principal demand
that there should be an absolute United Nations guarantee that the
international character of the City shall be preserved. The Commis-
sion proposals undertake to meet this demand by means of the pro-
visions for demilitarization. The Arabs have also insisted, as part of
the demand for safeguards, that there should be no corridor linking
the City with the State of Israel. The corridor nevertheless exists and
there is no prospect that it will be relinquished by Israel."]
   Position of the International Community.-The strongest element
 of interest in the Jerusalem settlement 'among the membership of the
 United Nations, apart from the Arab States and Israel, is found in the
 Catholic countries. While no great interest was manifested during
 the first half of the year, there have recently been evidences of increas-
 ing interest in the problem by the Vatican and various Catholic com-
 munities. This interest indicates a possibility of a strong demand for
 an international regime in the nature of a corpus separatum.
 Basis for Recommendation 1.--The United States concurred in the
 opinion of its representative on the-Commission that an international
 regime in the nature of a corpus separatum for Jerusalem would be
 rejected by Israel-and that no- useful purpose would be served by pre-
 paring one more plan which Would share-the fate of previous attempts
 of this kind by remaining a dead letter. The other two members of the
 Commission were at first inclined to favor proposals for a completely
 separate regime even though they agreed that such proposals could not
 be placed in operation. They were, however, persuaded by the United
 States Representative to attempt a practical approach which might
 be acceptable to the parties and -at the same time fulfill the spirit and
 letter of the resolution calling for an international regime. Israel and
 the Arab states have both ag-eed to United Nations control of the Holy
 Places, which appears to be the focal point of international interest
in the City. The proposals of the Commission call for a United Nations
Authority with control over the Holy Places, including the provision
of United Nations guards, and with supervisory powers over the other
main subjects of international interest, namely, the observance of
human rights and demilitarization. The United Nations-Authority is
alsogiven power to participate with a Joint Board in the-consideration


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