NEWS OF THE WEEK
pALESTINE is today the scene or suoject of a double crisis. That is ominously marked in the country itself by the execution of the plans for the evacuation of British women and children, and some male civilians, many of whom have already reached this country. The nature of the extensive military operations to which this is obviously a prelude is naturally not disclosed. They will be more arduous and less successful than they would be if the Jewish Agency were ready to give effective co-operation in the drive against terrorists instead of contenting itself with denunciation of terrorist methods. The self- righteous protestation that Jews cannot turn informers is contempt- ible. Meanwhile, the Conference in London has to all appearance failed. It is still in being, but the Arabs have refused to consider any form of partition, and in British quarters the practicability of partition seems as questionable as it was when the Woodhead Com- mission declared it impracticable in 1938. It has been suggested that in such circumstances a settlement must be imposed by Great Britain. That would mean the assumption of increasing and indefi- nite responsibility for the maintenance of order where an armed rebellion is already in existence. The alternative is to place the whole question in the hands of U.N.O. Palestine is, after all, a mandated territory, not a British dependency, and U.N.O., as the successor of the League of Nations, has an obvious status in the matter. There are obvious objections to invoking U.N.O., but they may be less than the objections to not doing so. It would presumably be a matter for the Trusteeship Council in the first instance. There ° would therefore be no question of waiting till the meeting of the General Assembly in September.
