White House Press Release, Statement by President Harry S. Truman

1845 NATIONAND E IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 24, 1948 STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT The Republican candidate for President has seen fit to release a statement with reference to Palestine. This statement is in the form of a letter dated, October 22, 1948, ten days before the election. I had hoped our foreign affairs could continue to be handled on a norpartisan basis without being. injected into the presidential campaign. The Republican candidate's statement, however, makes it necessary for me to reiterate my own position with respect to Palestine. I stand squarely on the provisions covering Israel in the Democratic Platform. I approved the provisions on Israel at the time they were written. I reaffirm that approval now. So that everyone may be familiar with my position, I set out here the Democratic Platform. on Israel: "President Truman, by granting immediate recognition to Israel, led the world in extending friendship and welcome to a people who have long sought and justly deserve freedom and independence. "We pledge full recognition to the State of Israel. We affirm our pride that the United States, under the leadership of President Truman, played a leading role in the adoption of the resolution of November 29, 1947, by the United Nations General Assembly for the creation of a Jewish state. "We approve the claims of the State of Israel to the boundaries set forth in the United Nations' resolution of November 29 and consider that mod- ifications thereof should be made only if fully acceptable to the State of Israel. "We look forward to the admission of the State of Israel to the United Nations and its full participation in the international community of nations. We pledge appropriate aid to the State of Israel in developing its economy and resources. "We favor the revision of the arms embargo to accord to the State of Israel the right of self-defense. We pledge ourselves to work for the modification of any resolution of the United Nations to the extent that it may prevent any such revision. "We continue to support, within the framework of the United Nations, the internationalization of Jerusalem and the protection of the holy places in Palestine." I wish to amplify the three portions of the platform about which there have been considerable discussion. On May 14, 1948, this country recognized the existence of the independent State of Israel. I was informed by the Honorable Eliahu Epstein that a Provisional Government had been established in Israel. This country recognized the Provisional Government as the de facto authority of the new State of Israel. When a permanent (OVER)