867N.01/1556
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Murray) to the Secretary of State
The attached aide-mémoire,48 containing the British proposals regarding Palestine, was left with me this noon by the Counselor of the British Embassy. I shall hope to send you an analysis of the plan tomorrow. Meanwhile I would call particular attention to the final sentence of the aide-mémoire reading as follows:
“It is unlikely that the present proposals, though they involve a change in policy, would require an amendment of the Mandate.”
From a preliminary reading of the plan I am inclined to agree with that point of view. In the circumstances it seems improbable that we shall be called upon to express an opinion one way or the other regarding the plan which, during the proposed transitional period, would be carried out under the terms of the present Mandate. I might add that there appears to be nothing in the proposals in so far as the transitional period is concerned which would affect existing American treaty rights in Palestine.
- Supra.↩