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United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181
November 29, 1947
The General Assembly, Having met in special session at the request of the
mandatory Power to constitute and instruct a Special Committee to prepare for
the consideration of the question of the future Government of Palestine at the
second regular session;
Having constituted a Special Committee and instructed it to investigate all
questions and issues relevant to the problem of Palestine, and to prepare
proposals for the solution of the problem, and
Having received and examined the report of the Special Committee (document
A/364) including a number of unanimous recommendations and a plan of
partition with economic union approved by the majority of the Special Committee,
Considers that the present situation in Palestine is one which is likely to
impair the general welfare and friendly relations among nations;
Takes note of the declaration by the mandatory Power that it plans to
complete its evacuation of Palestine by l August 1948;
Recommends to the United Kingdom, as the mandatory Power for Palestine, and
to all other Members of the United Nations the adoption and implementation, with
regard to the future Government of Palestine, of the Plan of Partition with
Economic Union set out below;
Requests that
The Security Council take the necessary measures as provided for in the plan
for its implementation;
The Security Council consider, if circumstances during the transitional
period require such consideration, whether the situation in Palestine
constitutes a threat to the peace. If it decides that such a threat exists, and
in order to maintain international peace and security, the Security Council
should supplement the authorization of the General Assembly by taking measures,
under Articles 39 and 41 of the Charter, to empower the United Nations
Commission, as provided in this resolution, to exercise in Palestine the
functions which are assigned to it by this resolution;
The Security Council determine as a threat to the peace, breach of the peace
or act of aggression, in accordance with Article 39 of the Charter, any attempt
to alter by force the settlement envisaged by this resolution;
The Trusteeship Council be informed of the responsibilities envisaged for it
in this plan;
Calls upon the inhabitants of Palestine to take such steps as may be
necessary on their part to put this plan into effect;
Appeals to all Governments and all peoples to refrain from taking any action
which might hamper or delay the carrying out of these recommendations, and
Authorizes the Secretary-General to reimburse travel and subsistence expenses
of the members of the Commission referred to in Part 1, Section B, Paragraph I
below, on such basis and in such form as he may determine most appropriate in
the circumstances, and to provide the Commission with the necessary staff to
assist in carrying out the functions assigned to the Commission by the General
Assembly
The General Assembly,
Authorizes the Secretary-General to draw from the Working Capital Fund a sum
not to exceed 2,000,000 dollars for the purposes set forth in the last paragraph
of the resolution on the future government of Palestine.
PLAN OF PARTITION WITH ECONOMIC UNION
Part I. - Future Constitution and Government of Palestine
A. TERMINATION OF MANDATE, PARTITION AND INDEPENDENCE
The Mandate for Palestine shall terminate as soon as possible but in any case
not later than 1 August 1948.
The armed forces of the mandatory Power shall be progressively withdrawn from
Palestine, the withdrawal to be completed as soon as possible but in any case
not later than 1 August 1948.
The mandatory Power shall advise the Commission, as far in advance as
possible, of its intention to terminate the mandate and to evacuate each area.
The mandatory Power shall use its best endeavours to ensure that an area
situated in the territory of the Jewish State, including a seaport and
hinterland adequate to provide facilities for a substantial immigration, shall
be evacuated at the earliest possible date and in any event not later than 1
February 1948.
Independent Arab and Jewish States and the Special International Regime for
the City of Jerusalem, set forth in Part III of this Plan, shall come into
existence in Palestine two months after the evacuation of the armed forces of
the mandatory Power has been completed but in any case not later than 1 October
1948. The boundaries of the Arab State, the Jewish State, and the City of
Jerusalem shall be as described in Parts II and III below.
The period between the adoption by the General Assembly of its recommendation
on the question of Palestine and the establishment of the independence of the
Arab and Jewish States shall be a transitional period.
B. STEPS PREPARATORY TO INDEPENDENCE
A Commission shall be set up consisting of one representative of each of five
Member States. The Members represented on the Commission shall be elected by the
General Assembly on as broad a basis, geographically and otherwise, as possible.
The administration of Palestine shall, as the mandatory Power withdraws its
armed forces, be progressively turned over to the Commission, which shall act in
conformity with the recommendations of the General Assembly, under the guidance
of the Security Council. The mandatory Power shall to the fullest possible
extent coordinate its plans for withdrawal with the plans of the Commission to
take over and administer areas which have been evacuated.
In the discharge of this administrative responsibility the Commission shall
have authority to issue necessary regulations and take other measures as
required.
The mandatory Power shall not take any action to prevent, obstruct or delay
the implementation by the Commission of the measures recommended by the General
Assembly.
On its arrival in Palestine the Commission shall proceed to carry out
measures for the establishment of the frontiers of the Arab and Jewish States
and the City of Jerusalem in accordance with the general lines of the
recommendations of the General Assembly on the partition of Palestine.
Nevertheless, the boundaries as described in Part II of this Plan are to be
modified in such a way that village areas as a rule will not be divided by state
boundaries unless pressing reasons make that necessary.
The Commission, after consultation with the democratic parties and other
public organizations of the Arab and Jewish States, shall select and establish
in each State as rapidly as possible a Provisional Council of Government. The
activities of both the Arab and Jewish Provisional Councils of Government shall
be carried out under the general direction of the Commission.
If by 1 April 1948 a Provisional Council of Government cannot be selected for
either of the States, or, if selected, cannot carry out its functions, the
Commission shall communicate that fact to the Security Council for such action
with respect to that State as the Security Council may deem proper, and to the
Secretary-General for communication to the Members of the United Nations.
Subject to the provisions of these recommendations, during the transitional
period the Provisional Councils of Government, acting under the Commission,
shall have full authority in the areas under their control including authority
over matters of immigration and land regulation.
The Provisional Council of Government of each State, acting under the
Commission, shall progressively receive from the Commission full responsibility
for the administration of that State in the period between the termination of
the Mandate and the establishment of the State's independence.
The Commission shall instruct the Provisional Councils of Government of both
the Arab and Jewish States, after their formation, to proceed to the
establishment of administrative organs of government, central and local.
The Provisional Council of Government of each State shall, within the
shortest time possible, recruit an armed militia from the residents of that
State, sufficient in number to maintain internal order and to prevent frontier
clashes.
This armed militia in each State shall, for operational purposes, be under
the command of Jewish or Arab officers resident in that State, but general
political and military control, including the choice of the militia's High
Command, shall be exercised by the Commission.
The Provisional Council of Government of each State shall, not later than two
months after the withdrawal of the armed forces of the mandatory Power, hold
elections to the Constituent Assembly which shall be conducted on democratic
lines.
The election regulations in each State shall be drawn up by the Provisional
Council of Government and approved by the Commission. Qualified voters for each
State for this election shall be persons over eighteen years of age who are (a)
Palestinian citizens residing in that State; and (b) Arabs and Jews residing in
the State, although not Palestinian citizens, who, before voting, have signed a
notice of intention to become citizens of such State.
Arabs and Jews residing in the City of Jerusalem who have signed a notice of
intention to become citizens, the Arabs of the Arab State and the Jews of the
Jewish State, shall be entitled to vote in the Arab and Jewish States
respectively.
Women may vote and be elected to the Constituent Assemblies.
During the transitional period no Jew shall be permitted to establish
residence in the area of the proposed Arab State, and no Arab shall be permitted
to establish residence in the area of the proposed Jewish State, except by
special leave of the Commission.
The Constituent Assembly of each State shall draft a democratic constitution
for its State and choose a provisional government to succeed the Provisional
Council of Government appointed by the Commission. The Constitutions of the
States shall embody Chapters 1 and 2 of the Declaration provided for in section
C below and include, inter alia, provisions for:
Establishing in each State a legislative body elected by universal suffrage
and by secret ballot on the basis of proportional representation, and an
executive body responsible to the legislature;
Settling all international disputes in which the State may be involved by
peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and
justice, are not endangered;
Accepting the obligation of the State to refrain in its international
relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or
political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with
the purpose of the United Nations;
Guaranteeing to all persons equal and non-discriminatory rights in civil,
political, economic and religious matters and the enjoyment of human rights and
fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion, language, speech and
publication, education, assembly and association;
Preserving freedom of transit and visit for all residents and citizens of the
other State in Palestine and the City of Jerusalem, subject to considerations of
national security, provided that each State shall control residence within its
borders.
The Commission shall appoint a preparatory economic commission of three
members to make whatever arrangements are possible for economic co-operation,
with a view to establishing, as soon as practicable, the Economic Union and the
Joint Economic Board, as provided in section D below.
During the period between the adoption of the recommendations on the question
of Palestine by the General Assembly and the termination of the Mandate, the
mandatory Power in Palestine shall maintain full responsibility for
administration in areas from which it has not withdrawn its armed forces. The
Commission shall assist the mandatory Power in the carrying out of these
functions. Similarly the mandatory Power shall co-operate with the Commission in
the execution of its functions.
With a view to ensuring that there shall be continuity in the functioning of
administrative services and that, on the withdrawal of the armed forces of the
mandatory Power, the whole administration shall be in the charge of the
Provisional Councils and the Joint Economic Board, respectively, acting under
the Commission, there shall be a progressive transfer, from the mandatory Power
to the Commission, of responsibility for all the functions of government,
including that of maintaining law and order in the areas from which the forces
of the mandatory Power have been withdrawn.
The Commission shall be guided in its activities by the recommendations of
the General Assembly and by such instructions as the Security Council may
consider necessary to issue.
The measures taken by the Commission, within the recommendations of the
General Assembly, shall become immediately effective unless the Commission has
previously received contrary instructions from the Security Council.
The Commission shall render periodic monthly progress reports, or more
frequently if desirable, to the Security Council.
The Commission shall make its final report to the next regular session of the
General Assembly and to the Security Council simultaneously.
C. DECLARATION
A declaration shall be made to the United Nations by the Provisional
Government of each proposed State before independence. It shall contain, inter
alia, the following clauses:
General Provision
The stipulations contained in the Declaration are recognized as fundamental
laws of the State and no law, regulation or official action shall conflict or
interfere with these stipulations, nor shall any law, regulation or official
action prevail over them.
Chapter 1: Holy Places, Religious Buildings and Sites
Existing rights in respect of Holy Places and religious buildings or sites
shall not be denied or impaired.
In so far as Holy Places are concerned, the liberty of access, visit, and
transit shall be guaranteed, in conformity with existing rights, to all
residents and citizen of the other State and of the City of Jerusalem, as well
as to aliens, without distinction as to nationality, subject to requirements of
national security, public order and decorum.
Similarly, freedom of worship shall be guaranteed in conformity with existing
rights, subject to the maintenance of public order and decorum.
Holy Places and religious buildings or sites shall be preserved. No act shall
be permitted which may in an way impair their sacred character. If at any time
it appears to the Government that any particular Holy Place, religious, building
or site is in need of urgent repair, the Government may call upon the community
or communities concerned to carry out such repair. The Government may carry it
out itself at the expense of the community or community concerned if no action
is taken within a reasonable time.
No taxation shall be levied in respect of any Holy Place, religious building
or site which was exempt from taxation on the date of the creation of the State.
No change in the incidence of such taxation shall be made which would either
discriminate between the owners or occupiers of Holy Places, religious buildings
or sites, or would place such owners or occupiers in a position less favourable
in relation to the general incidence of taxation than existed at the time of the
adoption of the Assembly's recommendations.
The Governor of the City of Jerusalem shall have the right to determine
whether the provisions of the Constitution of the State in relation to Holy
Places, religious buildings and sites within the borders of the State and the
religious rights appertaining thereto, are being properly applied and respected,
and to make decisions on the basis of existing rights in cases of disputes which
may arise between the different religious communities or the rites of a
religious community with respect to such places, buildings and sites. He shall
receive full co-operation and such privileges and immunities as are necessary
for the exercise of his functions in the State.
Chapter 2: Religious and Minority Rights
Freedom of conscience and the free exercise of all forms of worship, subject
only to the maintenance of public order and morals, shall be ensured to all.
No discrimination of any kind shall be made between the inhabitants on the
ground of race, religion, language or sex.
All persons within the jurisdiction of the State shall be entitled to equal
protection of the laws.
The family law and personal status of the various minorities and their
religious interests, including endowments, shall be respected.
Except as may be required for the maintenance of public order and good
government, no measure shall be taken to obstruct or interfere with the
enterprise of religious or charitable bodies of all faiths or to discriminate
against any representative or member of these bodies on the ground of his
religion or nationality.
The State shall ensure adequate primary and secondary education for the Arab
and Jewish minority, respectively, in its own language and its cultural
traditions.
The right of each community to maintain its own schools for the education of
its own members in its own language, while conforming to such educational
requirements of a general nature as the State may impose, shall not be denied or
impaired. Foreign educational establishments shall continue their activity on
the basis of their existing rights.
No restriction shall be imposed on the free use by any citizen of the State
of any language in private intercourse, in commerce, in religion, in the Press
or in publications of any kind, or at public meetings.
No expropriation of land owned by an Arab in the Jewish State (by
a Jew in the Arab State) shall be allowed except for public purposes. In all
cases of expropriation full compensation as fixed by the Supreme Court shall be
said previous to dispossession.
Chapter 3: Citizenship, International Conventions and Financial Obligations
1. Citizenship Palestinian citizens residing in Palestine outside the City of
Jerusalem, as well as Arabs and Jews who, not holding Palestinian citizenship,
reside in Palestine outside the City of Jerusalem shall, upon the recognition of
independence, become citizens of the State in which they are resident and enjoy
full civil and political rights. Persons over the age of eighteen years may opt,
within one year from the date of recognition of independence of the State in
which they reside, for citizenship of the other State, providing that no Arab
residing in the area of the proposed Arab State shall have the right to opt for
citizenship in the proposed Jewish State and no Jew residing in the proposed
Jewish State shall have the right to opt for citizenship in the proposed Arab
State. The exercise of this right of option will be taken to include the wives
and children under eighteen years of age of persons so opting.
Arabs residing in the area of the proposed Jewish State and Jews residing in
the area of the proposed Arab State who have signed a notice of intention to opt
for citizenship of the other State shall be eligible to vote in the elections to
the Constituent Assembly of that State, but not in the elections to the
Constituent Assembly of the State in which they reside.
2. International conventions
The State shall be bound by all the international agreements and conventions,
both general and special, to which Palestine has become a party. Subject to any
right of denunciation provided for therein, such agreements and conventions
shall be respected by the State throughout the period for which they were
concluded.
Any dispute about the applicability and continued validity of international
conventions or treaties signed or adhered to by the mandatory Power on behalf of
Palestine shall be referred to the International Court of Justice in accordance
with the provisions of the Statute of the Court.
3. Financial obligations
The State shall respect and fulfil all financial obligations of whatever
nature assumed on behalf of Palestine by the mandatory Power during the exercise
of the Mandate and recognized by the State. This provision includes the right of
public servants to pensions, compensation or gratuities.
These obligations shall be fulfilled through participation in the Joint
Economic Board in respect of those obligations applicable to Palestine as a
whole, and individually in respect of those applicable to, and fairly
apportionable between, the States.
A Court of Claims, affiliated with the Joint Economic Board, and composed of
one member appointed by the United Nations, one representative of the United
Kingdom and one representative of the State concerned, should be established.
Any dispute between the United Kingdom and the State respecting claims not
recognized by the latter should be referred to that Court.
Commercial concessions granted in respect of any part of Palestine prior to
the adoption of the resolution by the General Assembly shall continue to be
valid according to their terms, unless modified by agreement between the
concession-holders and the State.
Chapter 4: Miscellaneous Provisions
The provisions of chapters 1 and 2 of the declaration shall be under the
guarantee of the United Nations, and no modifications shall be made in them
without the assent of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Any Member of
the United Nations shall have the right to bring to the attention of the General
Assembly any infraction or danger of infraction of any of these stipulations,
and the General Assembly may thereupon make such recommendations as it may deem
proper in the circumstances.
Any dispute relating to the application or interpretation of this declaration
shall be referred, at the request of either party, to the International Court of
Justice, unless the parties agree to another mode of settlement.
D. ECONOMIC UNION AND TRANSIT
The Provisional Council of Government of each State shall enter into an
undertaking with respect to Economic Union and Transit. This undertaking shall
be drafted by the Commission provided for in section B, paragraph 1, utilizing
to the greatest possible extent the advice and cooperation of representative
organizations and bodies from each of the proposed States. It shall contain
provisions to establish the Economic Union of Palestine and provide for other
matters of common interest. If by 1 April 1948 the Provisional Councils of
Government have not entered into the undertaking, the undertaking shall be put
into force by the Commission.
The Economic Union of Palestine
The objectives of the Economic Union of Palestine shall be:
A customs union;
A joint currency system providing for a single foreign exchange rate;
Operation in the common interest on a non-discriminatory basis of railways
inter-State highways; postal, telephone and telegraphic services and ports and
airports involved in international trade and commerce;
Joint economic development, especially in respect of irrigation, land
reclamation and soil conservation;
Access for both States and for the City of Jerusalem on a non-discriminatory
basis to water and power facilities.
There shall be established a Joint Economic Board, which shall consist of
three representatives of each of the two States and three foreign members
appointed by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. The foreign
members shall be appointed in the first instance for a term of three years; they
shall serve as individuals and not as representatives of States.
The functions of the Joint Economic Board shall be to implement either
directly or by delegation the measures necessary to realize the objectives of
the Economic Union. It shall have all powers of organization and administration
necessary to fulfil its functions.
The States shall bind themselves to put into effect the decisions of the
Joint Economic Board. The Board's decisions shall be taken by a majority vote.
In the event of failure of a State to take the necessary action the Board
may, by a vote of six members, decide to withhold an appropriate portion of the
part of the customs revenue to which the State in question is entitled under the
Economic Union. Should the State persist in its failure to cooperate, the Board
may decide by a simple majority vote upon such further sanctions, including
disposition of funds which it has withheld, as it may deem appropriate.
In relation to economic development, the functions of the Board shall be
planning, investigation and encouragement of joint development projects, but it
shall not undertake such projects except with the assent of both States and the
City of Jerusalem, in the event that Jerusalem is directly involved in the
development project.
In regard to the joint currency system, the currencies circulating in the two
States and the City of Jerusalem shall be issued under the authority of the
Joint Economic Board, which shall be the sole issuing authority and which shall
determine the reserves to be held against such currencies.
So far as is consistent with paragraph 2(b) above, each State may operate its
own central bank, control its own fiscal and credit policy, its foreign exchange
receipts and expenditures, the grant of import licences, and may conduct
international financial operations on its own faith and credit. During the first
two years after the termination of the Mandate, the Joint Economic Board shall
have the authority to take such measures as may be necessary to ensure that - to
the extent that the total foreign exchange revenues of the two States from the
export of goods and services permit, and provided that each State takes
appropriate measures to conserve its own foreign exchange resources - each State
shall have available, in any twelve months' period, foreign exchange sufficient
to assure the supply of quantities of imported goods and services for
consumption in its territory equivalent to the quantities of such goods and
services consumed in that territory in the twelve months' period ending 31
December 1947.
All economic authority not specifically vested in the Joint Economic Board is
reserved to each State.
There shall be a common customs tariff with complete freedom of trade between
the States, and between the States and the City of Jerusalem.
The tariff schedules shall be drawn up by a Tariff Commission, consisting of
representatives of each of the States in equal numbers, and shall be submitted
to the Joint Economic Board for approval by a majority vote. In case of
disagreement in the Tariff Commission, the Joint Economic Board shall arbitrate
the points of difference. In the event that the Tariff Commission fails to draw
up any schedule by a date to be fixed, the Joint Economic Board shall determine
the tariff schedule.
The following items shall be a first charge on the customs and other common
revenue of the Joint Economic Board:
The expenses of the customs service and of the operation of the joint
services;
The administrative expenses of the Joint Economic Board;
The financial obligations of the Administration of Palestine, consisting of:
The service of the outstanding public debt;
The cost of superannuation benefits, now being paid or falling due in the
future, in accordance with the rules and to the extent established by paragraph
3 of chapter 3 above.
After these obligations have been met in full, the surplus revenue from the
customs and other common services shall be divided in the following manner: not
less than 5 per cent and not more than 10 per cent to the City of Jerusalem; the
residue shall be allocated to each State by the Joint Economic Board equitably,
with the objective of maintaining a sufficient and suitable level of government
and social services in each State, except that the share of either State shall
not exceed the amount of that State's contribution to the revenues of the
Economic Union by more than approximately four million pounds in any year. The
amount granted may be adjusted by the Board according to the price level in
relation to the prices prevailing at the time of the establishment of the Union.
After five years, the principles of the distribution of the joint revenue may be
revised by the Joint Economic Board on a basis of equity.
All international conventions and treaties affecting customs tariff rates,
and those communications services under the jurisdiction of the Joint Economic
Board, shall be entered into by both States. In these matters, the two States
shall be bound to act in accordance with the majority of the Joint Economic
Board.
The Joint Economic Board shall endeavour to secure for Palestine's exports
fair and equal access to world markets.
All enterprises operated by the Joint Economic Board shall pay fair wages on
a uniform basis.
Freedom of Transit and Visit
- The undertaking shall contain provisions preserving freedom of transit and
visit for all residents or citizens of both States and of the City of
Jerusalem, subject to security considerations; provided that each State and
the City shall control residence within its borders.
Termination, Modification and Interpretation of the Undertaking
The undertaking and any treaty issuing therefrom shall remain in force
for a period of ten years. It shall continue in force until notice of
termination, to take effect two years thereafter, is given by either of the
parties.
During the initial ten-year period, the undertaking and any treaty
issuing therefrom may not be modified except by consent of both parties and
with the approval of the General Assembly.
Any dispute relating to the application or the interpretation of the
undertaking and any treaty issuing therefrom shall be referred, at the
request of either party, to the International Court Of Justice, unless the
parties agree to another mode of settlement.
E. ASSETS
The movable assets of the Administration of Palestine shall be allocated
to the Arab and Jewish States and the City of Jerusalem on an equitable
basis. Allocations should be made by the United Nations Commission referred
to iii section B, paragraph 1, above. Immovable assets shall become the
property of the government of the territory in which they are situated.
During the period between the appointment of the United Nations
Commission and the termination of the Mandate, the mandatory Power shall,
except in respect of ordinary operations, consult with the Commission on any
measure which it may contemplate involving the liquidation, disposal or
encumbering of the assets of the Palestine Government, such as the
accumulated treasury surplus, the proceeds of Government bond issues, State
lands or any other asset.
F. ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE UNITED NATIONS
When the independence of either the Arab or the Jewish State as envisaged
in this plan has become effective and the declaration and undertaking, as
envisaged in this plan, have been signed by either of them, sympathetic
consideration should be given to its application for admission to membership
in the United Nations in accordance with article 4 of the Charter of the
United Nations.
Part II. - Boundaries
A. THE ARAB STATE
The area of the Arab State in Western Galilee is bounded on the west by
the Mediterranean and on the north by the frontier of the Lebanon from Ras
en Naqura to a point north of Saliha. From there the boundary proceeds
southwards, leaving the built-up area of Saliha in the Arab State, to join
the southernmost point of this village. There it follows the western
boundary line of the villages of 'Alma, Rihaniya and Teitaba, thence
following the northern boundary line of Meirun village to join the Acre-Safad
Sub-District boundary line. It follows this line to a point west of Es
Sammu'i village and joins it again at the northernmost point of Farradiya.
Thence it follows the sub-district boundary line to the Acre-Safad main
road. From here it follows the western boundary of Kafr-I'nan village until
it reaches the Tiberias-Acre Sub-District boundary line, passing to the west
of the junction of the Acre-Safad and Lubiya-Kafr-I'nan roads. From the
south-west corner of Kafr-I'nan village the boundary line follows the
western boundary of the Tiberias Sub-District to a point close to the
boundary line between the villages of Maghar and 'Eilabun, thence bulging
out to the west to include as much of the eastern part of the plain of
Battuf as is necessary for the reservoir proposed by the Jewish Agency for
the irrigation of lands to the south and east.
The boundary rejoins the Tiberias Sub-District boundary at a point on the
Nazareth-Tiberias road south-east of the built-up area of Tur'an; thence it
runs southwards, at first following the sub-district boundary and then
passing between the Kadoorie Agricultural School and Mount Tabor, to a point
due south at the base of Mount Tabor. From here it runs due west, parallel
to the horizontal grid line 230, to the north-east corner of the village
lands of Tel Adashim. It then runs to the northwest corner of these lands,
whence it turns south and west so as to include in the Arab State the
sources of the Nazareth water supply in Yafa village. On reaching Ginneiger
it follows the eastern, northern and western boundaries of the lands of this
village to their south-west comer, whence it proceeds in a straight line to
a point on the Haifa-Afula railway on the boundary between the villages of
Sarid and El-Mujeidil. This is the point of intersection. The south-western
boundary of the area of the Arab State in Galilee takes a line from this
point, passing northwards along the eastern boundaries of Sarid and Gevat to
the north-eastern corner of Nahalal, proceeding thence across the land of
Kefar ha Horesh to a central point on the southern boundary of the village
of 'Ilut, thence westwards along that village boundary to the eastern
boundary of Beit Lahm, thence northwards and north-eastwards along its
western boundary to the north-eastern corner of Waldheim and thence
north-westwards across the village lands of Shafa 'Amr to the southeastern
corner of Ramat Yohanan. From here it runs due north-north-east to a point
on the Shafa 'Amr-Haifa road, west of its junction with the road of I'billin.
From there it proceeds north-east to a point on the southern boundary of
I'billin situated to the west of the I'billin-Birwa road. Thence along that
boundary to its westernmost point, whence it turns to the north, follows
across the village land of Tamra to the north-westernmost corner and along
the western boundary of Julis until it reaches the Acre-Safad road. It then
runs westwards along the southern side of the Safad-Acre road to the
Galilee-Haifa District boundary, from which point it follows that boundary
to the sea.
The boundary of the hill country of Samaria and Judea starts on the
Jordan River at the Wadi Malih south-east of Beisan and runs due west to
meet the Beisan-Jericho road and then follows the western side of that road
in a north-westerly direction to the junction of the boundaries of the
Sub-Districts of Beisan, Nablus, and Jenin. From that point it follows the
Nablus-Jenin sub-District boundary westwards for a distance of about three
kilometres and then turns north-westwards, passing to the east of the
built-up areas of the villages of Jalbun and Faqqu'a, to the boundary of the
Sub-Districts of Jenin and Beisan at a point northeast of Nuris. Thence it
proceeds first northwestwards to a point due north of the built-up area of
Zie'in and then westwards to the Afula-Jenin railway, thence north-westwards
along the District boundary line to the point of intersection on the Hejaz
railway. From here the boundary runs southwestwards, including the built-up
area and some of the land of the village of Kh. Lid in the Arab State to
cross the Haifa-Jenin road at a point on the district boundary between Haifa
and Samaria west of El- Mansi. It follows this boundary to the southernmost
point of the village of El-Buteimat. From here it follows the northern and
eastern boundaries of the village of Ar'ara rejoining the Haifa-Samaria
district boundary at Wadi 'Ara, and thence proceeding south-south-westwards
in an approximately straight line joining up with the western boundary of
Qaqun to a point east of the railway line on the eastern boundary of Qaqun
village. From here it runs along the railway line some distance to the east
of it to a point just east of the Tulkarm railway station. Thence the
boundary follows a line half-way between the railway and the
Tulkarm-Qalqiliya-Jaljuliya and Ras El-Ein road to a point just east of Ras
El-Ein station, whence it proceeds along the railway some distance to the
east of it to the point on the railway line south of the junction of the
Haifa-Lydda and Beit Nabala lines, whence it proceeds along the southern
border of Lydda airport to its south-west corner, thence in a south-westerly
direction to a point just west of the built-up area of Sarafand El 'Amar,
whence it turns south, passing just to the west of the built-up area of Abu
El-Fadil to the north-east corner of the lands of Beer Ya'aqov. (The
boundary line should be so demarcated as to allow direct access from the
Arab State to the airport.) Thence the boundary line follows the western and
southern boundaries of Ramle village, to the north-east corner of El Na'ana
village, thence in a straight line to the southernmost point of El Barriya,
along the eastern boundary of that village and the southern boundary of 'Innaba
village. Thence it turns north to follow the southern side of the Jaffa-Jerusalem
road until El-Qubab, whence it follows the road to the boundary of Abu-Shusha.
It runs along the eastern boundaries of Abu Shusha, Seidun, Hulda to the
southernmost point of Hulda, thence westwards in a straight line to the
north-eastern corner of Umm Kalkha, thence following the northern boundaries
of Umm Kalkha, Qazaza and the northern and western boundaries of Mukhezin to
the Gaza District boundary and thence runs across the village lands of El-Mismiya
El-Kabira, and Yasur to the southern point of intersection, which is midway
between the built-up areas of Yasur and Batani Sharqi.
From the southern point of intersection the boundary lines run
north-westwards between the villages of Gan Yavne and Barqa to the sea at a
point half way between Nabi Yunis and Minat El-Qila, and south-eastwards to
a point west of Qastina, whence it turns in a south-westerly direction,
passing to the east of the built-up areas of Es Sawafir Esh Sharqiya and 'Ibdis.
From the south-east corner of 'Ibdis village it runs to a point southwest of
the built-up area of Beit 'Affa, crossing the Hebron-El-Majdal road just to
the west of the built-up area of 'Iraq Suweidan. Thence it proceeds
southward along the western village boundary of El-Faluja to the Beersheba
Sub-District boundary. It then runs across the tribal lands of 'Arab El-Jubarat
to a point on the boundary between the Sub-Districts of Beersheba and Hebron
north of Kh. Khuweilifa, whence it proceeds in a south-westerly direction to
a point on the Beersheba-Gaza main road two kilometres to the north-west of
the town. It then turns south-eastwards to reach Wadi Sab' at a point
situated one kilometer to the west of it. From here it turns north-eastwards
and proceeds along Wadi Sab' and along the Beersheba-Hebron road for a
distance of one kilometer, whence it turns eastwards and runs in a straight
line to Kh. Kuseifa to join the Beersheba-Hebron Sub-District boundary. It
then follows the Beersheba-Hebron boundary eastwards to a point north of Ras
Ez-Zuweira, only departing from it so as to cut across the base of the
indentation between vertical grid lines 150 and 160.
About five kilometres north-east of Ras Ez-Zuweira it turns north,
excluding from the Arab State a strip along the coast of the Dead Sea not
more than seven kilometres in depth, as far as 'Ein Geddi, whence it turns
due east to join the Transjordan frontier in the Dead Sea.
The northern boundary of the Arab section of the coastal plain runs from
a point between Minat El-Qila and Nabi Yunis, passing between the built-up
areas of Gan Yavne and Barqa to the point of intersection. From here it
turns south-westwards, running across the lands of Batani Sharqi, along the
eastern boundary of the lands of Beit Daras and across the lands of Julis,
leaving the built-up areas of Batani Sharqi and Julis to the westwards, as
far as the north-west corner of the lands of Beit-Tima. Thence it runs east
of El-Jiya across the village lands of El-Barbara along the eastern
boundaries of the villages of Beit Jirja, Deir Suneid and Dimra. From the
south-east corner of Dimra the boundary passes across the lands of Beit
Hanun, leaving the Jewish lands of Nir-Am to the eastwards. From the
south-east corner of Beit Hanun the line runs south-west to a point south of
the parallel grid line 100, then turns north-west for two kilometres,
turning again in a southwesterly direction and continuing in an almost
straight line to the north-west corner of the village lands of Kirbet
Ikhza'a. From there it follows the boundary line of this village to its
southernmost point. It then runs in a southerly direction along the vertical
grid line 90 to its junction with the horizontal grid line 70. It then turns
south-eastwards to Kh. El-Ruheiba and then proceeds in a southerly direction
to a point known as El-Baha, beyond which it crosses the Beersheba-EI 'Auja
main road to the west of Kh. El-Mushrifa. From there it joins Wadi El-Zaiyatin
just to the west of El-Subeita. From there it turns to the north-east and
then to the south-east following this Wadi and passes to the east of 'Abda
to join Wadi Nafkh. It then bulges to the south-west along Wadi Nafkh, Wadi
'Ajrim and Wadi Lassan to the point where Wadi Lassan crosses the Egyptian
frontier.
The area of the Arab enclave of Jaffa consists of that part of the
town-planning area of Jaffa which lies to the west of the Jewish quarters
lying south of Tel-Aviv, to the west of the continuation of Herzl street up
to its junction with the Jaffa-Jerusalem road, to the south-west of the
section of the Jaffa-Jerusalem road lying south-east of that junction, to
the west of Miqve Yisrael lands, to the northwest of Holon local council
area, to the north of the line linking up the north-west corner of Holon
with the northeast corner of Bat Yam local council area and to the north of
Bat Yam local council area. The question of Karton quarter will be decided
by the Boundary Commission, bearing in mind among other considerations the
desirability of including the smallest possible number of its Arab
inhabitants and the largest possible number of its Jewish inhabitants in the
Jewish State.
B. THE JEWISH STATE
The north-eastern sector of the Jewish State (Eastern Galilee) is bounded
on the north and west by the Lebanese frontier and on the east by the
frontiers of Syria and Trans-jordan. It includes the whole of the Huleh
Basin, Lake Tiberias, the whole of the Beisan Sub-District, the boundary
line being extended to the crest of the Gilboa mountains and the Wadi Malih.
From there the Jewish State extends north-west, following the boundary
described in respect of the Arab State. The Jewish section of the coastal
plain extends from a point between Minat El-Qila and Nabi Yunis in the Gaza
Sub-District and includes the towns of Haifa and Tel-Aviv, leaving Jaffa as
an enclave of the Arab State. The eastern frontier of the Jewish State
follows the boundary described in respect of the Arab State.
The Beersheba area comprises the whole of the Beersheba Sub-District,
including the Negeb and the eastern part of the Gaza Sub-District, but
excluding the town of Beersheba and those areas described in respect of the
Arab State. It includes also a strip of land along the Dead Sea stretching
from the Beersheba-Hebron Sub-District boundary line to 'Ein Geddi, as
described in respect of the Arab State.
C. THE CITY OF JERUSALEM
The boundaries of the City of Jerusalem are as defined in the
recommendations on the City of Jerusalem. (See Part III, section B, below).
A. SPECIAL REGIME
The City of Jerusalem shall be established as a corpus separatum under a
special international regime and shall be administered by the United
Nations. The Trusteeship Council shall be designated to discharge the
responsibilities of the Administering Authority on behalf of the United
Nations.
B. BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY
The City of Jerusalem shall include the present municipality of Jerusalem
plus the surrounding villages and towns, the most eastern of which shall be
Abu Dis; the most southern, Bethlehem; the most western, 'Ein Karim
(including also the built-up area of Motsa); and the most northern Shu'fat,
as indicated on the attached sketch-map (annex B).
C. STATUTE OF THE CITY
The Trusteeship Council shall, within five months of the approval of the
present plan, elaborate and approve a detailed statute of the City which
shall contain, inter alia, the substance of the following provisions:
Government machinery; special objectives. The Administering Authority in
discharging its administrative obligations shall pursue the following
special objectives:
To protect and to preserve the unique spiritual and religious interests
located in the city of the three great monotheistic faiths throughout the
world, Christian, Jewish and Moslem; to this end to ensure that order and
peace, and especially religious peace, reign in Jerusalem;
To foster cooperation among all the inhabitants of the city in their own
interests as well as in order to encourage and support the peaceful
development of the mutual relations between the two Palestinian peoples
throughout the Holy Land; to promote the security, well-being and any
constructive measures of development of the residents having regard to the
special circumstances and customs of the various peoples and communities.
Governor and Administrative staff. A Governor of the City of Jerusalem
shall be appointed by the Trusteeship Council and shall be responsible to
it. He shall be selected on the basis of special qualifications and without
regard to nationality. He shall not, however, be a citizen of either State
in Palestine.
The Governor shall represent the United Nations in the City and shall
exercise on their behalf all powers of administration, including the conduct
of external affairs. He shall be assisted by an administrative staff classed
as international officers in the meaning of Article 100 of the Charter and
chosen whenever practicable from the residents of the city and of the rest
of Palestine on a non-discriminatory basis. A detailed plan for the
organization of the administration of the city shall be submitted by the
Governor to the Trusteeship Council and duly approved by it.
3. Local autonomy
The existing local autonomous units in the territory of the city
(villages, townships and municipalities) shall enjoy wide powers of local
government and administration.
The Governor shall study and submit for the consideration and decision of
the Trusteeship Council a plan for the establishment of special town units
consisting, respectively, of the Jewish and Arab sections of new Jerusalem.
The new town units shall continue to form part the present municipality of
Jerusalem.
Security measures
The City of Jerusalem shall be demilitarized; neutrality shall be
declared and preserved, and no para-military formations, exercises or
activities shall be permitted within its borders.
Should the administration of the City of Jerusalem be seriously
obstructed or prevented by the non-cooperation or interference of one or
more sections of the population the Governor shall have authority to take
such measures as may be necessary to restore the effective functioning of
administration.
To assist in the maintenance of internal law and order, especially for
the protection of the Holy Places and religious buildings and sites in the
city, the Governor shall organize a special police force of adequate
strength, the members of which shall be recruited outside of Palestine. The
Governor shall be empowered to direct such budgetary provision as may be
necessary for the maintenance of this force.
Legislative Organization.
A Legislative Council, elected by adult residents of the city
irrespective of nationality on the basis of universal and secret suffrage
and proportional representation, shall have powers of legislation and
taxation. No legislative measures shall, however, conflict or interfere with
the provisions which will be set forth in the Statute of the City, nor shall
any law, regulation, or official action prevail over them. The Statute shall
grant to the Governor a right of vetoing bills inconsistent with the
provisions referred to in the preceding sentence. It shall also empower him
to promulgate temporary ordinances in case the Council fails to adopt in
time a bill deemed essential to the normal functioning of the
administration.
Administration of Justice.
The Statute shall provide for the establishment of an independent
judiciary system, including a court of appeal. All the inhabitants of the
city shall be subject to it.
Economic Union and Economic Regime.
The City of Jerusalem shall be included in the Economic Union of
Palestine and be bound by all stipulations of the undertaking and of any
treaties issued therefrom, as well as by the decisions of the Joint Economic
Board. The headquarters of the Economic Board shall be established in the
territory City. The Statute shall provide for the regulation of economic
matters not falling within the regime of the Economic Union, on the basis of
equal treatment and non-discrimination for all members of thc United Nations
and their nationals.
Freedom of Transit and Visit: Control of residents.
Subject to considerations of security, and of economic welfare as
determined by the Governor under the directions of the Trusteeship Council,
freedom of entry into, and residence within the borders of the City shall be
guaranteed for the residents or citizens of the Arab and Jewish States.
Immigration into, and residence within, the borders of the city for
nationals of other States shall be controlled by the Governor under the
directions of the Trusteeship Council.
Relations with Arab and Jewish States. Representatives of the Arab and
Jewish States shall be accredited to the Governor of the City and charged
with the protection of the interests of their States and nationals in
connection with the international administration of thc City.
Official languages.
Arabic and Hebrew shall be the official languages of the city. This will
not preclude the adoption of one or more additional working languages, as
may be required.
Citizenship.
All the residents shall become ipso facto citizens of the City of
Jerusalem unless they opt for citizenship of the State of which they have
been citizens or, if Arabs or Jews, have filed notice of intention to become
citizens of the Arab or Jewish State respectively, according to Part 1,
section B, paragraph 9, of this Plan.
The Trusteeship Council shall make arrangements for consular protection
of the citizens of the City outside its territory.
Freedoms of citizens
Subject only to the requirements of public order and morals, the
inhabitants of the City shall be ensured the enjoyment of human rights and
fundamental freedoms, including freedom of conscience, religion and worship,
language, education, speech and press, assembly and association, and
petition.
No discrimination of any kind shall be made between the inhabitants on
the grounds of race, religion, language or sex.
All persons within the City shall be entitled to equal protection of the
laws.
The family law and personal status of the various persons and communities
and their religious interests, including endowments, shall be respected.
Except as may be required for the maintenance of public order and good
government, no measure shall be taken to obstruct or interfere with the
enterprise of religious or charitable bodies of all faiths or to
discriminate against any representative or member of these bodies on the
ground of his religion or nationality.
The City shall ensure adequate primary and secondary education for the
Arab and Jewish communities respectively, in their own languages and in
accordance with their cultural traditions.
The right of each community to maintain its own schools for the education
of its own members in its own language, while conforming to such educational
requirements of a general nature as the City may impose, shall not be denied
or impaired. Foreign educational establishments shall continue their
activity on the basis of their existing rights.
No restriction shall be imposed on the free use by any inhabitant of the
City of any language in private intercourse, in commerce, in religion, in
the Press or in publications of any kind, or at public meetings.
Holy Places Existing rights in respect of Holy Places and religious
buildings or sites shall not be denied or impaired.
Free access to the Holy Places and religious buildings or sites and the
free exercise of worship shall be secured in conformity with existing rights
and subject to the requirements of public order and decorum.
Holy Places and religious buildings or sites shall be preserved. No act
shall be permitted which may in any way impair their sacred character. If at
any time it appears to the Governor that any particular Holy Place,
religious building or site is in need of urgent repair, the Governor may
call upon the community or communities concerned to carry out such repair.
The Governor may carry it out himself at the expense of the community or
communities concerned if no action is taken within a reasonable time.
No taxation shall be levied in respect of any Holy Place, religious
building or site which was exempt from taxation on the date of the creation
of the City. No change in the incidence of such taxation shall be made which
would either discriminate between the owners or occupiers of Holy Places,
religious buildings or sites or would place such owners or occupiers in a
position less favourable in relation to the general incidence of taxation
than existed at the time of the adoption of the Assembly's recommendations.
Special powers of the Governor in respect of the Holy Places, religious
buildings and sites in the City and in any part of Palestine.
The protection of the Holy Places, religious buildings and sites located
in the City of Jerusalem shall be a special concern of the Governor. With
relation to such places, buildings and sites in Palestine outside the city,
the Governor shall determine, on the ground of powers granted to him by the
Constitution of both States, whether the provisions of the Constitution of
the Arab and Jewish States in Palestine dealing therewith and the religious
rights appertaining thereto are being properly applied and respected.
The Governor shall also be empowered to make decisions on the basis of
existing rights in cases of disputes which may arise between the different
religious communities or the rites of a religious community in respect of
the Holy Places, religious buildings and sites in any part of Palestine.
In this task he may be assisted by a consultative council of
representatives of different denominations acting in an advisory capacity.
D. DURATION OF THE SPECIAL REGIME
The Statute elaborated by the Trusteeship Council the aforementioned
principles shall come into force not later than 1 October 1948. It shall
remain in force in the first instance for a period of ten years, unless the
Trusteeship Council finds it necessary to undertake a re-examination of
these provisions at an earlier date. After the expiration of this period the
whole scheme shall be subject to examination by the Trusteeship Council in
the light of experience acquired with its functioning. The residents the
City shall be then free to express by means of a referendum their wishes as
to possible modifications of regime of the City.
Part IV. Capitulations
States whose nationals have in the past enjoyed in Palestine the
privileges and immunities of foreigners, including the benefits of consular
jurisdiction and protection, as formerly enjoyed by capitulation or usage in
the Ottoman Empire, are invited to renounce any right pertaining to them to
the re-establishment of such privileges and immunities in the proposed Arab
and Jewish States and the City of Jerusalem.
Adopted at the 128th plenary meeting:
In favour: 33
Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Byelorussian S.S.R., Canada,
Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France,
Guatemala, Haiti, Iceland, Liberia, Luxemburg, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Sweden,
Ukrainian S.S.R., Union of South Africa, U.S.A., U.S.S.R., Uruguay,
Venezuela.
Against: 13
Afghanistan, Cuba, Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon,
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Yemen.
Abstained: 10
Argentina, Chile, China, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras,
Mexico, United Kingdom, Yugoslavia.
(1) See Official Records of the General Assembly,
Second Session Supplement No. 11,Volumes l-lV.
* At its hundred and twenty-eighth plenary meeting
on 29 November 1947 the General Assembly, in accordance with the terms of
the above resolution, elected the following members of the United Nations
Commission on Palestine: Bolivia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Panama, and
Philippines.
(2) This resolution was adopted without reference to
a Committee.
(3) The following stipulation shall be added to the
declaration concerning the Jewish State: "In the Jewish State adequate
facilities shall be given to Arabic-speaking citizens for the use of their
language, either orally or in writing, in the legislature, before the Courts
and in the administration."
(4) In the declaration concerning the Arab State, the
words "by an Arab in the Jewish State" should be replaced by the
words "by a Jew in the Arab State."
(5) On the question of the internationalization of
Jerusalem, see also General Assembly resolutions 185 (S-2) of 26 April 1948;
187 (S-2) of 6 May 1948, 303 (lV) of 9 December 1949, and resolutions of the
Trusteeship Council (Section IV).
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