Jerusalem-forum@wanadoo.jo
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An Elusive Peace By Dr. Hazem Nusseibeh
UN Resolutions and Palestine
Peace Proposals
Count
Bernadotte’s murder by Israeli terrorists in western Jerusalem,
shocking as it was, led to an intensification rather than a
diminution of efforts to resolve the destiny of Jerusalem within
the much wider fate of Palestine.
Guns had indeed been silenced by the truce but on December 11,
1948, the General Assembly reaffirmed its support for
internationalization in the famed and still-going resolution 194
(111) on the inalienable rights of the Palestinian refugees to
return home and to receive compensation. It was also the
resolution which set up the Palestine Conciliation Commission,
consisting of the United States, France and Turkey, to mediate
an overall solution of the Palestine Problem.
On May 12, 1949, after intensive talks between leaders of the
four Arab States directly concerned-- Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and
Lebanon on the one hand and, Israel on the other, along with
credible Palestinian participation, personages like Ahmad
Shukairy, Farid El-Sa’d, ‘Aziz Shihadeh, Kholousi Khairi and
others-- the Arab and Israeli sides signed the Lausanne Protocol
stating that the signatories were ready to accept the 1947 UN
Partition Plan as the basis and framework for a territorial
solution of the Palestine Problem as well as other provisions
relating thereof, including internationalization of Jerusalem
and a prompt return of the refugees. But as soon as Israel had
obtained membership to the United Nations, Israel reneged on its
undertaking and refused to make any meaningful concessions for
peace.
The United States was so upset by Israel’s truculence that it
threatened to reconsider her attitude towards Israel but, to no
avail. Israel seemed determined to exploit to the full its
military successes and fait accomplis. Israel and Jordan who had
been in control of the two sectors of Jerusalem also opposed
internationalization.
Jordan, however, declared that it would accept it if all other
UN resolutions were implemented. There were a number of secret
talks between Jordan and Israel and Egypt and Israel but these
proved futile. And by 1950, all talk of peace faded and the fait
accomplis was legitimized by the Permanent Armistice Agreements
during February and May 1949 in which all the combatants agreed
not to change Armistice lines by force.
To give it greater credence, on May 25, 1950, the United States,
Britain and France joined in a tripartite declaration binding
them to oppose the use of force between these states and
controlling armaments to purely self-defiance.
Many people talk of missed opportunities for peace and, more
often than not, blame the Arabs and the Palestinians. The
failure at Lausanne is a stark example of a missed opportunity,
and the blame, as the United States recognized and declared,
fell squarely on the Israeli side. It was a failure which led to
other wars beginning with the 1956 invasion of Egypt.
July 17, 1999
Dr. Hazem Nusseibeh has held a number of prominent government
posts. He was a representative of Jordan at the Mixed Armistice
Commission. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of the
Royal Court and has served Ambassadorial posts to Egypt, Turkey,
Italy, and Austria. He was also the Permanent Ambassador of
Jordan to the UN.
Dr. Nusseibeh is author of various books, including The Ideas of
Arab Nationalism, Palestine and the United Nations and A History
of Modern Jordan.
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