Palestine Returns to Arms
The clear fact that such hold as the United Nations had upon the situation in Palestine has seriously weakened since the murder of Count Bernadotte implies not the slightest criticism of his successor, Dr. Ralph Bunche, whose efforts to check the new uprush of violence have been continuous and heroic. There may be little or no relation of cause and effect in the fact that Count Bernadotte died first and fighting spread afterwards. The truce was already breaking down at the time of his assassination. But persons apart, the weight of blame lies heavy on the representatives of the United Nations now gathered in Paris. They have supported Dr. Bunche with their sympathy, and with very little else. And the measure of respect for the writ of the United Nations in Palestine itself can be gauged from the fact that Jews and Arabs are now ignoring not one truce call, but three. The original cease-fire arrangement has been so grossly disregarded in the Negeb that both Egyptian and Israeli troops have had to be ordered in the first place to withdraw from positions unlawfully taken up in this semi-desert area. Second, the order to cease fire issued last Saturday, when it became overwhelmingly plain that the Israeli forces were both willing' and able to supply their settlements in the desert by armed convoys, has been completely disregarded. Indeed, the Egyptians have been systematically attacked by ground forces and aircraft and driven into a few precariously held bases. And third, another and more peremptory cease-fire order issued from Paris on Tuesday has not so far been obeyed by both sides. There is indeed little hope of a reasonable truce now that the Israeli forces have demonstrated so decisively in the Negeb the effectiveness of their steadily growing armament. Certainly the new Arab " Government " of Palestine under the direction of the Mufti of Jerusalem bodes no good to anyone, and least of all to the Arabs. If both parties agrZe to negotiate through United Nations intermediaries, as required by the Security Council, it will be a minor miracle.
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