Editorial Note
The United States Delegation to the Second Special Session of the General Assembly held its first meeting on April 15 to discuss the “United States Position on Palestine”. At this meeting, “Mr. McClintock suggested it would be unwise at the present time to talk with other delegations regarding the possibility of sending funds and troops to enforce a trusteeship plan. He thought it enough to say that we were prepared to carry our fair share of responsibility in cooperation with other United Nations members.” (Excerpts from the Minutes of Meeting, IO files, US/A/1086.)
The Second Special Session of the General Assembly convened in New York on April 16 to consider further the future government of Palestine. The Official Records of the Session, published by the United Nations, consist of the following:
Volume I, Plenary Meetings of the General Assembly: Summary Records of Meetings, 16 April–14 May 1948, hereinafter cited as “GA (II/SS), Plenary”.
Volume II, Main Committees: Summary Records of Meetings, 16 April–14 May 1948, hereinafter cited as “GA (II/SS), Main Committees”.
Annex to Volumes I and II, hereinafter cited as “GA (II/SS), Annex”.
Supplement No. 1, United Nations Palestine Commission, Report to the General Assembly.
Supplement No. 2, Resolutions, 16 April–14 May 1948, hereinafter cited as “GA (II/SS), Resolutions”.
The Report of the Palestine Commission, dated April 10, 1948, reviewed the Commission’s activities in connection with implementing the measures recommended by the General Assembly for the partition of Palestine, with economic union. The Commission concluded “that the armed hostility of both Palestinian and non-Palestinian Arab elements, the lack of co-operation from the mandatory Power, the disintegrating security situation in Palestine, and the fact that the Security Council did not furnish the Commission with the necessary armed assistance, are the factors which have made it impossible for the Commission to implement the Assembly’s resolution.” (page 36)