Britain Will Not Support Israel’s Application for U.N. Membership, Mayhew Says

Britain will not support Israel’s application for U.N. membership, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs Christopher Mayhew declared in Commons today, adding that the British Government considered the Jewish state’s bed for membership in the international organization premature.

The Government do not wish to exclude the possibility of Jewish entry into the United Nations at some later stage, but regard the present application as premature and hard to accept in view of the fact that the future of Palestine as still being discussed and no frontiers have yet been drawn up,” Mayhew said. Replying to questions, he denied that the admission of Israel to the U.N. would help the Jews and Arabs reach an equitable solution in Palestine. The British official also declared that several states had much stronger claims to U.N. membership than Israel.

Several laborite M.P.’s interjected numerous questions regarding the Jews still detained on Cyprus. Mayhew claimed that the continued detention of 11,200 Jews on the island was Justified by the Security Council’s resolution of May 29, the terms of which were extended by the resolution of July 15. He was unable to answer a question by S. Silverman, M.P., as to what was the legal basic for the Jews’ detention after the Mandatory Power’s jurisdiction terminated. He stressed that there was no obstruction to detainees of non-military age and denied that the refugees were being detained unlawfully.

Mayhew later said that the government is re-examining its position on Cyprus in the light of present Palestine developments and would review its decision if more peaceful conditions are established or a new Security Council resolution is adopted.

It was learned here today that Anglo-Israel negotiations on Cyprus are not being conducted in London and that they have not reached a final stage. An agreement is expected to be arrived at shortly, not involving a reversal of British policy on the detainees but rather a reinterpretation, enabling certain categories to leave Cyprus.