§ 42. Mr. Thomas Reidasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what contributions have been made up to date by Member States of the United Nations and by Israel for the relief of the 900,000 Arabs forced out of Palestine.
The Minister of State (Mr. McNeil)I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT an extract from a United Nations report showing the estimated value of donations by Governments to the Mediator's first relief project and to the United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees, which was later established, up to the date of 5th March. The United Kingdom contribution to the Mediator's scheme represented almost a quarter of the total governmental contributions up to that date, while the United Kingdom contribution to the United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees was more than one half of the total contributions at that date. Since then the United States Congress has authorised the provision of 16 million dollars for this work, half of which has become available. Israel has not subscribed.
§ Mr. LipsonCould the Minister say to what extent funds now available are adequate for the purpose intended for relieving distress?
Mr. McNeilThe fund's average disbursements on the existing scale will carry the work of relief on until approximately November of this year.
§ Mr. S. SilvermanMay I ask whether it is the case that this matter is under discussion between the nations concerned before the United Nations Conciliation Committee? May I further ask whether we may take it that in his answer the Minister was not intending to accept the statement either that they were forced out of Palestine or that the numbers amounted to 900,000?
Mr. McNeilI did not see any point in commenting on the circumstances in which the refugees had come out. I should like to say to my hon. Friend that, although there is some minor doubt about the exact figure, I have recently most carefully checked the figure and it is as near 900,000 as makes no difference.
§ Brigadier RaynerCan the Minister of State say whether the Israel authorities have yet paid any compensation on account of the orangeries and vineyards that have been seized?
| ESTIMATED VALUE OF DONATIONS PLEDGED TO MEDIATOR AND DELIVERY STATUS OF DONATIONS | |||||||
| (5th March, 1949: In U.S. Dollars) | |||||||
| (10 per cent. allowance for freight unless otherwise indicated) | |||||||
| Source | Total Pledged to Mediator | Believed Delivered Before 1st January, 1949 | Delivered After 1st January, 1949 | En Route | Total Delivered or En Route | Balance to be Forwarded | |
| GRAND TOTAL | … | 3,644,918 | 2,863,174 | 303,600 | 57,449 | 3,224,223 | 420,695 |
| GOVERNMENTS | … | 1,714,026 | 1,132,282 | 303,600 | 57,449 | 1,493,331 | 220,695 |
| Australia | … | 203,500 | 203,500 | — | — | 203,500 | — |
| Belgium | … | 12,368 | 12,368 | — | — | 12,368 | — |
| Burma | … | 8,250 | 8,250 | — | — | 8,250 | — |
| Canada | … | 303,600 | — | 303,600 | — | 303,600 | — |
| Ceylon | … | 13,200 | 13,200 | — | — | 13,200 | — |
| Ethiopia | … | 35,200 | 35,200 | — | — | 35,200 | — |
| France | … | 62,893 | 62,893 | — | — | 62,893 | — |
| India | … | 30,230 | 30,230 | — | — | 30,230 | — |
| Indonesia | … | 213,400 | 21,3401 | — | — | 21,340 | 192,060 |
| Ireland | … | 7,920 | 7,920 | — | — | 7,920 | — |
| Italy | … | 17,600 | 17,600 | — | — | 17,600 | — |
| Luxembourg | … | 1,200 | 1,2001 | — | — | 1,200 | — |
| Netherlands | … | 18,370 | 18,370 | — | — | 18,370 | — |
| New Zealand | … | 70,070 | 70,070 | — | — | 70,070 | — |
| Norway | … | 50,403 | 50,4031 | — | — | 50,403 | — |
| Switzerland | … | 55,000 | 55,000 | — | — | 55,000 | — |
| Turkey | … | 26,400 | — | — | 26,400 | 26,400 | — |
| Union of South Africa | … | 78,811 | 47,762 | — | 31,049 | 78,811 | — |
| United Kingdom | … | 403,226 | 389,516 | — | — | 389,516 | 13,710 |
| Venezuela | … | 14,925 | — | — | — | — | 14,925 |
| Yemen | … | 87,460 | 87,460 | — | — | 87,460 | — |
§ Mr. SilvermanWould my right hon. Friend answer that part of my supplementary which asked whether all these matters, including the one just put, are now in negotiation between the Arab countries and Israel?
Mr. McNeilNaturally, Sir, I am most anxious to avoid commenting at all upon the negotiations which are at present going on between these Governments under the auspices of the United Nations Commission.
§ Major Legge-BourkeIs it not a fact that the most effective form of relief would be a rehabilitation of these people in their own homes, and what steps are being taken by the Government to speed this on?
§ Following is the extract:
1719| ESTIMATED VALUE OF CASH AND COMMODITY DONATIONS TO U.N.R.P.R. | ||||||||
| (5th March, 1949: In U.S. Dollars) | ||||||||
| Source | Donations | Received | En Route | Balance to be Forwarded | ||||
| Total | Cash | Commodity | ||||||
| GRAND TOTAL | … | … | 6,517,465 | 4,185,854 | 2,331,611 | 2,601,393 | 192,968 | 3,723,104 |
| GOVERNMENTS | … | … | 6,083,238 | 4,081,346 | 2,001,872 | 2,268,572 | 192,078 | 3,622,298 |
| Australia | … | … | 132,000 | — | 132,000 | — | — | 132,000 |
| Bahrein | … | … | 30,230 | 30,230 | — | — | — | 30,230 |
| Belgium | … | … | 432,000 | — | 432,000 | — | — | 432,000 |
| Canada | … | … | 739,200 | — | 739,2001 | — | 79,200 | 660,000 |
| Denmark | … | … | 130,000 | — | 130,000 | — | — | 130,000 |
| Egypt | … | … | 165,083 | 165,083 | — | 165,083 | — | — |
| France | … | … | 157,2332 | 157,233 | — | 47,170 | — | 110,063 |
| India | … | … | 69,770 | 69,770 | — | — | — | 69,770 |
| New Zealand | … | … | 95,362 | — | 95,3621 | — | — | 95,362 |
| Norway | … | … | 60,484 | — | 60,484 | — | — | 60,484 |
| Pakistan | … | … | 30,230 | 30,230 | — | — | — | 30,230 |
| Saudi Arabia | … | … | 66,000 | — | 66,0001 | 66,000 | — | — |
| Sweden | … | … | 270,052 | — | 270,052 | — | 59,600 | 210,452 |
| Switzerland | … | … | 23,226 | — | 23,226 | — | — | 23,226 |
| Turkey | … | … | 53,548 | — | 53,548 | — | 53,548 | — |
| United Kingdom | … | … | 3,628,800 | 3,628,800 | — | 1,990,319 | — | 1,638,481 |