Waiting

Last week Palestine's Jews awaited the end of the British mandate in cocky confidence, Palestine's Arabs in complete demoralization, the British with determination to make a dignified exit. In Tel Aviv, the Jews prepared to set up a provisional government for a Jewish state.

Palestine's Arabs had little time to think about a new government. One Arab leader estimated that 200,000 of his countrymen had already fled the country. To save themselves from complete defeat, Arabs looked for help across the Jordan to King Abdullah.

Last week Abdullah continued to receive the homage of Arab leaders. The Arab League Secretary General, Abdul Rahman Azzam Pasha, arriving for a conference at Abdullah's palace, bowed low, kissed Abdullah's carefully manicured little hand, then placed it reverently against his forehead in the Arab sign of deference. There was more hand-kissing as Abdullah inspected the Iraq ist Brigade, which had just arrived to reinforce his Arab Legion. Said Abdullah: "I shall enter Palestine after May 15 ... even if the Arab League decides to accept armistice proposals."

But the Arabs were thinking less of trying to conquer the Jewish enemy than of defending their own parts of Palestine. Both sides were willing, for the moment at least, to keep Jerusalem off the list of battlefields. British High Commissioner General Sir Alan Gordon Cunningham won Arab and Jewish acceptance of a ceasefire order for the city. To back it up, the British moved in heavy tanks and guns.

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