Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The Near East and Africa, Volume VII

867N.01/7–1946: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Harriman) to the Secretary of State

top secret
us urgent

London, July 19, 1946—6 p.m.
[Received July 19—2:53 p.m.]

6851. Personal for Secretary from Grady. Since our arrival in London⁵ we have been in constant meetings with representatives of the British Cabinet and have explored numerous possible solutions to the Palestine problem.

Our thinking is now along the lines of provincial autonomy under which plan Palestine would be divided into two partially self-governing Arab and Jewish provinces with an overall Central Govt. Jerusalem and the Hegeb [Negev?] would remain under the direct jurisdiction of the mandatory. This plan seems to offer the only means now apparent of moving the 100,000 into Palestine in the near future. It is strongly backed by the British Govt.

The British have indicated no desire for our military aid or participation in a trusteeship. Present financial plans are well within the program outlined by us to the Cabinet Committee.

The British plan to invite the Jews and Arabs to London for consultations on a suggested settlement as soon as it is accepted by the British and American Govts. They presently expect to implement the plan under the mandate pending submission of a trusteeship agreement but if the proposed solution is not accepted by the Jews and Arabs the British indicate an intent to bring the matter before the United Nations. In any event it is expected that a report will be made to UN.

The plan as presented by the British is almost a verbatim copy of the plan for provincial autonomy submitted anonymously to the Anglo-American Committee in January by Sir Douglas Harris of the Colonial Office. Some changes in the plan are now under discussion. Copies of the plan without maps are in Anglo-American Committee files in care of Porter or Hurowitz.

I hope to be able to cable you the substance of a proposed agreement and an indication of the boundaries in the next few days. [Grady]

Harriman

5. The Cabinet Committee on Palestine arrived in London at noon, July 12, and conferred with the British Prime Minister early the same afternoon (867N.01/7–1546).