British and United Nations Conciliation Efforts

Abstract

The failure of the GA in Paris, in September 1948, to agree upon the Bernadotte plan owing to the refusal of both sides to comply with it and to American reservations about it, ended in a new initiative by the UN to replace the mediator by a mediating body. This body consisted of French, Turkish and American delegates. The PCC was charged by the GA, under its resolution of 11 December 1948, with facilitating final settlement of all issues outstanding between Israel and the Arab states. After a preliminary meeting in Geneva, the PCC was due to set itself up in Jerusalem. The initial effort was to be confined to an attempt to bring the parties to direct negotiations. In March 1949, the PCC published its first progress report, in which it declared its intention to establish its headquarters in Government House in Jerusalem, and deal mainly with the future of the city. The general aspects of the conflict were still being discussed in Rhodes, under the framework of the armistice negotiations, by the Acting Mediator, Dr Ralph Bunche. During its stay in the Middle East, the PCC held two important conferences. One was with members of the Israeli Cabinet in Jerusalem and the other in Beirut with representatives of the Arab countries.¹