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

867N.01/7–2046: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State

secret

Moscow, July 20, 1946—5 p.m.
[Received 10:30 p.m.]

2235. Heretofore, USSR has contrived to remain on fence regarding Palestine problem. It permitted and covertly encouraged its mouthpieces abroad to criticize Zionism. But inside USSR line was to play no favorites, commiserate with both Jews and Arabs, and denounce Anglo-American perfidy.

First clear indication of USSR sliding over to Arab side of fence appeared in lecture given by Victor D. Lutski. Lectures of this type are of course not private expressions of individual scholars but officially approved statements of Soviet point of view.

Main points of Lutski lecture were: (1) Anglo-American interest in Palestine is dictated by oil and military considerations; (2) Zionism is tool of imperialists and does not serve interests of Jewish masses; (3) “Large majority of Palestine’s population consider it as Arab country and look upon Jews already living in country as citizens of future Arab independent democratic Palestine with full and equal rights.”

[Here follow observations concerning the audience and a summary of the lecture and of the questions and answers.]

SecState pass to London as Moscow’s 318 for Mr. Grady. Pass to Beirut; Beirut pouch to Jerusalem, Damascus, Baghdad, and Cairo.

Smith