THE ARAB EXPULSION
Sta,—Mr. Owen Tweedy's eloquent plea on behalf of Arab refugees in their terrible plight performs a valued service at this time when both parties are at last seated around the same table to discuss their common destiny. It was probably not his intention to do so, but he does leave an impression of Israeli intractability on this issue, as if the Jews had callously washed their hands of this vast human tragedy in order the better to solve their own. This is not strictly in actordance with the facts. Jewish leaders have not denied that the problem of Arab refugees could be included in the final peace settlement, and in this connection your readers may be interested in the following extract from the New York Times of January 17th, 1949: ." The attitude of Israel towards the Arai refugees who fled the territory occupied by Israel was discussed yesterday by. Foreign Minister Shertok. He expressed. the view that Israel should compensate the refugees for their property on the condition that the money be used constructively to settle them in new homes and not ' frittered away ' in temporary relief measures. . . . In declaring that the refugees should receive compensation for property they left behind,,Mr. Shertok was careful to make clear that he was stating his own view. Official policy on the subject has not yet been decided, he said. Obviously, however, the question is up for consideration as Arabs and Israelis sit down to negotiate for the first time in the history of the long conflict over Palestine. . . We are prepared to do our share in resettlement of the refugees. It has become an international problem and we are ready to help solve it, not only in planning but in contributing funds for the relocating of these people " Would it be unreasonable to suggest a solution on the basis of an exchange of population ? All the Arab States contain Jewish populations whose existence must be a cause at present of mutual discomfort, and here perhaps would be an opportunity for constructive U.N. leadership in an area where that authority has not proved an invariable failure.—
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