By the Waters of Flushing

"What do you want to go to Flushing Meadow for, honey?" a Manhattan taxi driver asked a TIME researcher last week. "I'm going to the United Nations," she said. "Well," he said with a wink, "that used to be quite a lovers' lane in my day."

The flats of Flushing were no lovers' lane last week. At U.N., the quarreling sons of Shem* had gathered to dispute the title to their ancient dwelling place. The problem of Palestine engrossed the 55-nation tribunal of the General Assembly.

Among the 55 delegations were representatives of five Arab states (Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia), who regarded the cause of Palestine Arabs as their own. But the success or failure of a Palestine solution ultimately depended on the U.S., the United Kingdom, and the U.S.S.R.

House Afire. The Arabs made the most of the occasion. Cried Iraq's Columbia-educated Fadhil Jamali: "At this moment Palestine is being invaded. ... A part of our home is on fire." The Arab delegations repeatedly wandered from the procedural debate to demand immediate freedom of Palestine as an Arab state. Zionist leaders writhed, but since they had no official status, could not answer. (This week the Assembly decided that the Jewish Agency for Palestine should be allowed to speak before the Assembly's Political and Security Committee, which includes all 55 of the United Nations.)

Coy Game. Russia's Gromyko played a coy game. First he roused Arab hopes by voting for immediate decision of the Palestine question. Then he disappointed them by plugging to give the Jewish Agency a voice in full Assembly proceedings. But in Russian Assembly maneuvers and recent publications supporting Arab hopes, one object was apparent: to get the British out of Palestine (and the Middle East) as soon as possible.

The U.S. also played coy. First it heartened Zionists by opposing full discussion of the Palestine case this session. Then it disappointed them by voting against admission of the Jewish Agency to the Assembly floor.

New Zealand's Sir Carl Berendsen pleaded for a "true truce of God" [in Palestine] during the U.N. inquiry. "Let all passions be stilled." (Next day, Jewish terrorists blew up the Crusaders' Castle in Acre, now a prison, and released 251 Jewish and Arab prisoners, including 80 terrorists. The dead in an hour's gun battle: 14 Jews, one Arab.)

Flatus Vocis. The most talkative non-Arab delegate was India's florid Asaf Ali. "When we talk about Jews," he said, "what Jews do we mean? . . . You will perhaps be surprised [the Assembly was] to hear that there are a large number of people living ... on our [northwestern] borders, who claim descent from Israel . . . something like, I should think, between 20 to 30 million people." Said tired Assembly President Dr. Oswaldo Aranha at last: "I am sure the eminent jurist who is the Indian representative knows what I mean when I refer to flatus vocis, which scholars use when they want to refer to people who are talking too much about nothing."

* According to the Bible, all the races of man are descended from Ham, Shem and Japheth, the three sons of Noah: from Shem come the Semites (including Jews and Arabs). At the U.N., Arabs often call the Jews "our cousins."

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