Editorial Note
The United Nations Palestine Commission, established under the General Assembly resolution of November 29, 1947, consisted of representatives of Bolivia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Panama, and the Philippines, with Karel Lisicky of Czechoslovakia serving as Chairman and Ralph J. Bunche of the United States as Secretary. The Commission held its first meeting on January 9, 1948, and unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to invite the Mandatory Power, the Arab Higher Committee, and the Jewish Agency to designate representatives who would provide the Commission with authoritative information and other assistance.
The Secretary-General, the same day, transmitted such invitations. They were promptly accepted by the United Kingdom and the Jewish Agency, which designated Sir Alexander Cadogan, British Representative at the United Nations, and Moshe Shertok, respectively, as their representatives. The Arab Higher Committee, on January 19, telegraphically rejected the invitation, stating that it was “determined persist in rejection partition and in refusal recognize UNO resolution this respect and anything deriving therefrom.” (United Nations, [Page 541] Official Records of the Security Council, Third Tear, Special Supplement No. 2, hereinafter cited as SC, 3rd yr., Special Suppl. No. 2, pages 1, 2)