The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 201
185 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN but if representation in the legislature, services, allocation of grants etc. were on the basis of 50-50 so that neither side would dominate, he thought the plan could work. I do not know whether it could have worked, but it appealed to me. I tried for it during the United Nations debates but I could not get enough support for it. Dr. Judah Magnus was so keen on it that while the debate was going on he telegraphed a whole-page letter to the New York Times , which was published, making a very strong appeal to the Assembly not to force Partition through but to work for something on which the agreement of the Jewish Agency or of the Zionist leaders and the Arabs could be procured. By this time the situation has completed a full circle. I cannot speak on such a delicate and important matter on behalf of the Arab states, or indeed, on behalf of anybody. But my own conviction is that today a settlement can be reached between the Arabs and the State of Israel on the basis of all the resolutions of the United Nations on Palestine, provided the State of Israel would be prepared to settle on that basis, but it is not. They have repeatedly declared that the extra territory that they have incorporated in the State of Israel is theirs in full sovereignty: "The Arabs fought us; they lost. We have gained this territory as the fruit of victory. We will not settle on any other basis. " Yet they go on complaining: "The Arabs will not make peace. " You cannot have peace on the basis of fruits of victory. The moment you talk of the fruits of victory, you are talking war and not peace. The Arabs themselves will never propose a settlement on the basis of all the U. N. Resolutions. But I feel if the State of Israel were prepared to agree to something on that basis and someone else, in the exercise of good offices or of mediation, tried to bring about a settlement on that basis, a live and let live kind of situation could be reached, which, in course of time, could develop into closer relations. Short of that, I doubt if anything would work. A slight variation of approach could be if the State of Israel could accept in principle that those of the Arab refugees who decide to come back and would be prepared, let us say, to take the oath of allegiance to the State of Israel and to settle down as peaceful citizens would have their properties restored to them and those who do not wish to come back would be paid full compensation for their properties and the State