867N.01/6–2946: Telegram
The British Prime Minister (Attlee) to President Truman 89
Top Secret and Personal. Prime Minister to President of the United States. In view of the continuance of terrorist activity in Palestine culminating in the recent kidnapping of six British officers, His Majesty’s Government have come to the conclusion that drastic action can no longer be postponed. The High Commissioner has accordingly been authorised to take such steps as he thinks necessary to break up illegal organisations, including the arrest of any individuals [Page 640] against whom there is clear evidence that they are responsible for the present campaign of violence. The authority does not extend to any comprehensive disarming of the whole civil population at this stage.
I understand that the High Commissioner intends to take action early on the morning of Saturday, June 29th.90 It is proposed to raid the Jewish Agency and to occupy it for a period necessary to search for incriminating documents. At the same time, members of the Agency considered implicated directly or indirectly in Hagana outrages will be arrested. Similar action will be taken in the case of headquarters of illegal organisations.
I regret that such action should have become necessary while we are engaged in discussing the report of the Anglo-American Committee; but we could not resist the conclusion that we could no longer, without abdication of our responsibility as the Mandatory Government, tolerate such open defiance and that, while discussions regarding the future of Palestine are proceeding, law and order must be maintained. We shall make it clear that our action is not merely made necessary by the recent outrages by the Jews but is also a first step towards restoring those conditions of order without which no progress can be made towards a solution of the long term problem. Our action will be directed, not only against the maintenance of existing private armies or similar illegal organisations, but also against their future creation by either community.
You will remember that the Anglo-American Committee called upon the Jewish Agency to resume active cooperation with the Mandatory Government in suppressing these illegalities. I need not add how much we should welcome any statement you may feel able to make indicating your support of our determination to bring to an end the violence and terrorism in the Holy Land.91
- Delivered to the White House on the night of June 28; copy transmitted to Mr. Acheson by Lord Inverchapel in a letter of June 29.↩
- Telegram 211, June 29, 10 a.m., from Jerusalem, reported that at an early hour of the morning, British military forces temporarily occupied the premises of the Jewish Agency and various buildings in Tel Aviv and searched several widely separated Jewish colonies in what was described as an “exceptionally large operation”. It also noted the High Commissioner’s statement that the “sole aim of present operations is suppression of violence rather than reprisals and that action taken against Agency was based upon evidence of its part in organization, direction and cooperation with terrorist groups.” (867N.01/6–2946)↩
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In a telegram of June 29, 1946, to President Truman, Ambassador Harriman stated: “The Prime Minister has sent me this morning for my personal information, a copy of the telegram which he had sent you earlier informing you of the action the British Government has taken regarding the terrorist activity in Palestine. If you do not wish to reply direct, is there any aspect of this situation which you would wish me to discuss informally with Mr. Attlee?” (867N.01/6–2946).
Mr. Truman responded as follows: “There does not appear to be any aspect of the Palestine situation that you should discuss informally with Attlee at the present time.” (Department’s telegram 5149, July 2, to London, 867N.01/7–246)
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