501.BB Palestine/4–1448: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
439. For Rusk from Ross. Following is revised text of draft SC resolution agreed upon at informal meeting of Council members in long session this morning. Gromyko, Tarasenko, and Khouri specifically reserved their positions. Council meeting set for 2:30 tomorrow afternoon.
“Considering the Council’s resolution of 1 April 1948 and the conversations held by its president with the representatives of the JA for Palestine and the AHC with a view to arranging a truce between Arabs and Jews in Palestine;
Considering that as stated in that resolution, it is of the utmost urgency to bring about the immediate cessation of acts of violence in Palestine, and to establish conditions of peace and order in that country;
Considering that the UK Government, so long as it remains the mandatory power, is responsible for the maintenance of peace and order in Palestine and should continue to take all steps necessary to that end; and that in so doing it should receive the cooperation and support of the SC in particular as well as of all the members of the UN;
The SC:
- 1.
- Calls upon all persons and organizations in Palestine and
especially upon the AHC and
the JA to take immediately
without prejudice to their rights, claims, or positions, and
as a contribution to the well-being and permanent interest
of Palestine, the following measures:
- (a)
- Cease all activities of a military or para-military nature, as well as acts of violence, terrorism and sabotage;
- (b)
- Refrain from bringing into Palestine armed bands or individuals, whatever their origin, armed or capable of bearing arms and from assisting or encouraging the entry into Palestine of such armed bands and individuals;
- (c)
- Refrain from importing or acquiring or assisting or encouraging the importation or acquisition of weapons and war materials;
- (d)
- Refrain, pending further consideration of the future government of Palestine by the GA, from any political activity which might prejudice the rights, claims, or positions of either community;
- (e)
- Cooperate with the mandatory authorities for the effective maintenance of law and order and of essential services particularly those relating to transportation, communications, health, and food and water supplies;
- (f)
- Refrain from any action which will endanger the safety of the holy places in Palestine.
- 2.
- Requests the UK Government for so long as it remains the mandatory power to use its best efforts to bring all those concerned in Palestine to accept the measures set forth under paragraph 1 above and subject to retaining the freedom of action of its own forces to supervise the execution of these measures by all those concerned and to keep the SC and the GA currently informed on the situation in Palestine.
- 3.
- Calls upon all governments and particularly those of the countries neighboring Palestine to take all possible steps to assist in the implementation of the measures set out under paragraph 1 above and particularly those referring to the entry into Palestine of armed bands, individuals armed or capable of bearing arms and weapons and war materials.”1
- Paragraph 4 of the original draft (see footnote 2, p. 819) was eliminated from the revised draft, for reasons indicated in telegram 446, April 14, infra. Otherwise the differences in the two drafts involved minor language changes. The Department, on April 15, authorized New York to support the draft resolution given in telegram 439 (telegram 217, 501.BB Palestine/4—1448).↩