501.BB Palestine/3–2548: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Egypt
337. Following statement was released by President today:
“It is vital that American people have clear understanding of position of US in UN re Palestine.
This country vigorously supported plan for Partition with Economic Union recommended by UNSCOP and by GA. We have explored every possibility consistent with basic principles of Charter for giving effect to that solution. Unfortunately, it has become clear that partition plan cannot be carried out at this time by peaceful means. We could not undertake to impose this solution on people of Palestine by use of American troops, both on Charter grounds and as matter of national policy.
UK has announced its firm intention to abandon its mandate in Palestine on May 15. Unless emergency action is taken, there will be no public authority in Palestine on that date capable of preserving law and order. Violence and bloodshed will descend upon the Holy Land. Large scale fighting among people of that country will be inevitable result. Such fighting would infect entire Middle East and could lead to consequences of gravest sort involving peace of this nation and of world.
These dangers are imminent. Responsible govts in UN cannot face this prospect without acting promptly to prevent it. US has proposed to SC a temporary UN trusteeship for Palestine to provide a govt to keep peace. Such trusteeship was proposed only after we had exhausted every effort to find way to carry out partition by peaceful means. Trusteeship is not proposed as substitute for partition plan but as effort to fill vacuum soon to be created by termination of mandate on May 15. Trusteeship does not prejudice character of final political settlement. It would establish conditions of order which are essential to peaceful solution.
If we are to avert tragedy in Palestine, immediate truce must be reached between Arabs and Jews of that country. I am instructing Ambassador Austin to urge upon SC in strongest terms that representatives of Arabs and Jews be called at once to Council table to arrange such a truce.1
US is prepared to lend every appropriate assistance to UN in preventing bloodshed and in reaching peaceful settlement. If UN agrees to temporary trusteeship, we must take our share of necessary responsibility. [Page 760] Our regard for UN, for peace of world and for our own self-interest does not permit us to do less.
With such truce and such trusteeship, peaceful settlement is yet possible; without them, open warfare is just over horizon. American policy in this emergency period is based squarely upon recognition of this inescapable fact.”2
Sent Cairo as 337 repeated Baghdad as 91 Beirut as 129 Damascus as 81 Jerusalem as 215 Jidda as 91, London as 1050.
- In telegram 217, March 26, 6 p. m., to Jerusalem, repeated to Arab capitals, the Department advised that “In light President’s statement re Palestine Mar 25 Dept considers it imperative that highly qualified representatives Arab Higher Committee be present in NY for further UN discussion re Palestine no later than Tuesday Mar 30.” (501.BB Palestine/3–2648)↩
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A copy of the President’s statement in the Elsey Papers contains a marginal notation in the handwriting of Mr. Elsey that the statement was drafted on March 24–25 by Messrs. Clifford, Bohlen, and Rusk, with the advice and counsel of Senator McGrath and Messrs. Ewing and Niles.
President Truman, in response to questions asked at his press conference of March 25 stated that “Our policy is to back up the United Nations in the trusteeship by every means necessary”, but that did not necessarily mean that American troops would be used. He also said that his “position hasn’t changed with regard to immigration in Palestine” and that he remained in favor of partition at some future date (Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Harry S. Truman, 1948, pp. 191, 192).
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