The Palestine Legacy
SIR,—May I be permitted to raise a point of fact in connection with your note on " The Palestine Legacy," which appeared in your issue of January 18th. You refer to the " stubborn attitude of the Govern- ment of Israel towards compensation " for Palestine refugees. I would suggest that the attitude of the Government of Israel to this problem has been anything but stubborn. Time and again the Israel Govern- ment has tried to explore various ways towards its solution, as the innumerable statements made by Israel representatives on various occasions inside and outside the United Nations bear witness.
One of the most recent of these statements is included in a report addressed by the Israel Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Moshe Sharrett, to the Knesset (Parliament) in Jerusalem on November 4th, 1951. May I be permitted to quote: "The question of the future of the refugees is still on the agenda of the General Assembly. The responsibility of the Arab Governments is to absorb the mass of these refugees in their countries; the responsibility of Israel is to pay compensation for their abandoned lands.
" The Government has decided to take up this responsibility. It is prepared, without delay, to discuss with the Conciliation Commis- sion or with any other authoritative U.N. body the question of the amount of compensation due and the forin of its payment. Israel is thus prepared to do what is incumbent on her in order to reach a favourable solution of this painful problem. If the other parties do not play their part, it is on their shoulders that the responsi- bility will rest."
It must be recorded with regret that this suggestion—like Israel's earlier proposals for a realistic solution of this problem—has remained
a cry in the wilderness.—Yours faithfully, MICHAEL ARNON.
Legation of Israel; 18 Manchester Square, W.1. Press Attaché.
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