S. J. RES. 153, PALESTINE REFUGEE RELIEF1 [EDITOR'S NOTE.-Senate Joint Resolution 153, authorizing an American contribution of $27,450,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, a new agency established by the U.N. General Assembly in December 1949, was approved in committee on February 3, and reported out on February 14. While still pending on the calender, however, the committee decided to incorporate its provisions in the omnibus foreign economic assistance bill. S. 3304. S. 3304 was signed into law on June 5, with the refugee relief program incorporated as Title III.] TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1950 UNITED STATES SENATE, Washington, D.C. The committee met in executive session, pursuant to notice, at 11:05 a.m., in the Committee Hearing Room, U.S. Capitol, Senator Tom Connally (chairman) presiding. Present: Senators Connally (chairman), Green, McMahon, Vandenberg, Smith of New Jersey, and Lodge. The CHAIRMAN. All right, come to order, gentlemen. We now have a joint resolution relating to Palestine refugees. Mr. McFALL. Senator, it would be the proposal of the Department, subject to your wishes, to have Assistant Secretary McGhee present a general statement on the general policy involved in this resolution, to be followed by Vice Admiral Struble, who will discuss with you some of the strategic factors involved, and then following him, Mr. Gordon Clapp, who will be in position to discuss any and all of the details. Subject to your approval, we will proceed that way. The CHAIRMAN. All right. WHAT DOES THE TITLE OF THE RESOLUTION MEAN? Senator GREEN. Before we proceed, may I ask for an explanation of what the title means? I would like to know what the title means. Does that mean refugees from Palestine or refugees to Palestine? The CHAIRMAN. I understand it is the Arabs who have been out of Palestine, they are coming back into Palestine. 1 See appendix F. See also notes, p. 39. (125) Senator LODGE. The title isn't clear. Senator GREEN. I don't know whether it means refugees from other countries to Palestine or people who formerly lived in Palestine who take refuge in countries outside of Palestine. The CHAIRMAN. This bill hasn't been introduced formally, so we can find out during the investigation. Senator GREEN. I think we ought to know that before we hear the merits of it discussed. It apparently doesn't define it in this joint resolution. It just refers to the United Nations. The CHAIRMAN. It refers to the General Assembly Resolution of December 8, 1949. Senator SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, might I ask one more question: Is the United States to be the sole contributor to this? The CHAIRMAN. There are supposed to be others. We will probably wind up being the sole contributors. Others are supposed to come in, aren't they? Mr. McGHEE. Yes. Senator GREEN. It also speaks of Palestine and the Near East. So I would like to know what the title means before I hear discussion. Senator VANDENBERG. Let the Secretary describe it. The CHAIRMAN. The resolution of the General Assembly of December 8th-where is that? Have you got that here? Dr. WILCOX. Yes. It is a long resolution introduced by the Assembly and passed by the Assembly unanimously on the 8th of December. The CHAIRMAN. Give it to Senator Green. Senator SMITH of New Jersey. Senator Green, it is apparently the title of the agency that was set up. Senator GREEN. Yes, but there is no explanation of what it means in this joint resolution. Senator SMITH of New Jersey. I agree with you. I am confused, too, apparently. Senator VANDENBERG. Why not ask somebody? Mr. McGHEE. Senator, I would be delighted to discuss it, if you would like. The CHAIRMAN. Let us hear all this, then decide what we are going to do. All right, Mr. McGhee. STATEMENT OF HON. GEORGE C. McGHEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Mr. McGHEE. I would first of all like to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity of appearing before your committee. I have prepared a statement, but in order to save your committee's time, since it is a rather long statement, I will file it with your committee, if that is satisfactory, then speak to the subject. The CHAIRMAN. All right. FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES Mr. McGHEE. I would like, first of all, to clarify the point Senator Green raised, because it is ambiguous on the face of it here. The refugees of which we speak are refugees from the Palestine hostilities. The CHAIRMAN. Wait a minute. That doesn't mean a thing-from Palestine. What do you mean? Where are they refugeeing from and where are they refugeeing to? [Laughter.] Mr. McGHEE. They all came from the old Palestine Mandate. They fled or left their homes as a result of the hostilities, some three-quarters of a million. All, except some 17,000, are Arabs of this three-quarters of a million. Actually, 17,000 are Jewish refugees from the hostilities who have come into the new State of Israel. Senator GREEN. I don't understand yet whether they are refugees from or to Palestine. Mr. McGHEE. I have a chart here, Senator. Senator GREEN. I don't want the chart. I want you to explain what it means in plain English language. Mr. McGHEE. As a result of the partition of Palestine, there were certain hostilities, and Arabs who formerly lived in the area now occupied by Israeli forces, fled or left that area and sought refuge in the adjoining Arab states. Senator GREEN. The area held by the Israeli forces. I don't know what area they held in Palestine. Mr. McGHEE. It is a portion of the old Mandate which is the present State of Israel. Would you show the map of the State of Israel? The territory all in blue there [indicating on map] is the present State of Israel. It includes certain territory that was allotted under the partiion, which is that in cross marks, plus certain territory also in blue which was seized by Israeli troops and which they presently occupy under the armistice agreement. From that territory in blue, some threequarters of a million people left or fled. The CHAIRMAN. What is that up there at the left of Palestine, in green? Mr. McGHEE. That is the Mediterranean Sea, Mr. Chairman. This is the Dead Sea, the other one in green. Now there are two separate groups of emigrants and refugees in this area. The ones we are concerned with are those indicated in red, and the arrows indicate approximately the directions and places to which they fled as a result of the hostilities. As you can see, some 97,000 went to the north, into Lebanon: some 75.000 fled over into Syria: some 70.000 fled east of the Jordan River into the old State of Jordan: some 280.000 fled from Israeli-held part of Palestine into the part of Palestine which is now a part of the larger Kingdom of Jordan; some 208.000 people into Arab Palestine: some 200.000 went into this narrow strip, the Gaza strip, which was occupied by the Egyptian forces. Indicated in those red marks were some 4.000 that went to Iraq. All together, they constitute about three-quarters of a million people, and those are all Arabs. There are, in addition, some 17.000 Jewish refugees in Israel. Senator GREEN. How are they refugees if they are in Israel? Mr. McGHEE. They were displaced from areas outside of the present State of Israel and came into Israel. Senator GREEN. That includes both those that fled from Israel and those who fled to Israel? Mr. MCGHEE. That is right: it includes all of them. |