501.BB Palestine/12–547: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State
Martel 34. Bevin left with me the brief quoted below which had been prepared for him to use during his conversation with me on December 2.
“Mr. Marshall has already been informed of the outline of our plans for withdrawal from Palestine and of the difficulty which we expect if the United Nations Commission were to arrive in Palestine more than say a fortnight before we were ready to hand over authority to them. This date, according to our plan, will be about May 15.
There has already been some Arab effervescence. Nevertheless, we have received assurances from various Arab spokesmen that they will not try to make trouble while we are still in Palestine. We are now sending to the Arab Governments a message that we expect them to honour these assurances, and suggesting that this will involve not only that they should refrain from armed intervention themselves, but that [Page 1299] they should stop individuals from other states crossing into Palestine to provoke disorder, or inciting disturbances from outside.1
Our object during this period will be to maintain the status quo in all respects. This will apply particularly to immigration. If we modify our policy on this subject, this will he an added incentive to the Arabs to take the law into their own hands. We earnestly hope, therefore, that the United States authorities will feel able to continue and intensify the measures which they have recently begun to take to restrain those involved in organizing this traffic. It will also be most helpful if the United States authorities could recommend forbearance and moderation to such Jewish representatives with whom they are in contact in the same way as His Majesty’s Government have made similar recommendations to Arab representatives.”
- Telegram 6809, December 3, 7 p. m., from London, reported: “Foreign Office showed Embassy today copy of circular telegram despatched December 2 to British missions to which this telegram is repeated instructing British representatives to urge moderation upon these Arab Governments and to point out that British forces so long as in Palestine will have to suppress disorders from whatever source in areas under British control. It would not be enough for Arab Governments to refrain from official action while British Government is endeavoring to maintain status quo Palestine. Arab Governments should prevent their nationals from crossing into Palestine to disturb peace.” Telegram 6309 was repeated to Cairo, Baghdad, Jidda, Beirut, and Damascus (867N.01/12–347).↩