Page:Proposals for the Future of Palestine – July 1946-February 1947, Cmd 7044.djvu/8

14 Termination of Trusteeship Agreement

16. At the end of four years a Constituent Assembly would be elected. If agreement was reached between a majority of the Jewish representatives and a majority of the Arab representatives in the Constituent Assembly, the High Commissioner, would proceed forthwith to take whatever steps were necessary to establish the institutions of the independent State.

17. In the event of disagreement in the Constituent Assembly, the various drafts prepared for its consideration and the record of its debates would be submitted to the Trusteeship Council which would be asked to advise upon future procedure.

Conclusion

18. Throughout the period of mandatory rule in Palestine, it has been the object of His Majesty's Government to lay the foundations for an indepen­dent Palestinian State in which Arabs and Jews would enjoy equal rights. The state of tension between the two peoples which has existed hitherto has continually thwarted the attempts of the mandatory Power to progress towards this end. His Majesty's Government are not prepared to continue indefinitely to govern Palestine themselves merely because Arabs and Jews cannot agree upon the means of sharing its government between them. The proposals contained in the present Memorandum are designed to give the two peoples an opportunity of demonstrating their ability to work together for the good of Palestine as a whole and so providing a stable foundation for an independent State. 13887 Wt. 2260 2/47 F.O.P. 33164