The Arab states accepted, so long as Arabs and Israelis were not required to sit at the same table. Israel accepted, so long as the aim of the conference was a final settlement of all outstanding problems. With these questions unresolved, the conference began in Paris on 13 September. The US chairman of the Commission defined the aims of the Conference as to discuss a settlement of the rights of refugees, including repatriation and compensation, to discuss the rights and obligations of the states represented, including the delimitation of frontiers, and finally to secure an agreement to abstain from all hostile acts and to promote peace in the area.
The Commission subsequently submitted written proposals to implement this plan, including commitments to live in peace, to accept the return of a specific number of refugees, to pay com pensation, to create a free port at Haifa, to create joint arrangements for economic development and so on. But again the discussions got bogged down on the question of priorities. Israel refused to negotiate unless the Arabs accepted a commitment to peace, so ruling out the blockade and interference with shipping, as a preliminary.
The Arabs were willing to reaffirm the armistice agreements, but not to acknowledge Israel by entering into a non-aggression pact. They held that a settlement of the refugee question should be the first consideration. So once again no progress was made. Although the Assembly once more renewed the Commission's mandate, it was becoming clear that the attitude of the parties was not such as would allow it to promote any successful negotiations.
The Conciliation Commission remained formally in existence for a number of years longer. But it became increasingly inactive, and its reports to the Assembly could only record the continued unwillingness of the parties to implement earlier Assembly resolutions - still less to come anywhere near an understanding with each other on the basic points which divided them.
The Armistice Negotiations
