Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume V, Part 2

867N.01/5–2548: Telegram

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

top secret   us urgent
niact

London, May 25, 1948—2 p. m.

2251. For Lovett from Douglas. At meeting this morning (paragraph seven Embtel 2225, May 22)¹ which will be described in later telegram, Bevin again raised with me question as to whether “cease-fire” order by Israel will effectively include Irgun and Stern groups. He asked me as matter of great urgency to suggest to you in interest of securing Arab acceptance cease-fire that USG urge upon Israel, whose President is now Washington, desirability of immediate statement by Israel to effect (a) that cease-fire on Jewish side includes Irgun and Stern groups and (b) that Israel for duration cease-fire will not permit immigration or will at least limit it to women and children.²

2. Bevin, speaking obviously with approval Attlee and at what amounted to informal meeting of Defense Committee, said that statement on these two points might help restore modicum belief in Jewish good faith among Arabs who cannot forget how Irgun and Stern have broken earlier cease-fires and that Jewish immigrants now arriving Palestine consist largely fighting men.

3. Bevin said for his part he undertook to advise Arab states today not to impose strict conditions as price acceptance cease-fire.

4. Bevin expressed belief Jews would gain by Weizmann’s issuing at this critical moment as gesture of good faith a statement along lines paragraph one above.

5. Bevin is hopeful next 48 hours will produce real chance to grapple with Palestine problem.

6. I undertook to put Bevin’s views to you most urgently.

7. I have just been advised that FonOff telegram in sense paragraph three left London for Arab capitals in highest priority at 1 p. m. today.³

Douglas

1. Ante, p. 1032.
2. The Department, on May 26, informed London that time and circumstances did not permit the action suggested by Mr. Bevin on these two matters. It noted also that it had queried Jerusalem on the Irgun-Stern matter (telegram 1929, 867N.01/5–2648). Regarding the query and the reply of Jerusalem, see footnote 2, p. 1034. The nature of the reply from Jerusalem was sent to London on May 25 in telegram 1896 (867N.01/5–2548).
3. A marginal notation in the handwriting of Mr. McClintock, on an information copy of this telegram, states that this message was “Passed to White House 11 a. m. May 25 by Mr. Humelsine at Mr. Lovett’s direction.”