501.BB Palestine/5–3148: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Consulate at Haifa
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90. Cairo’s 3, May 30 sent Dept as 640.1 Please inform UN Mediator Count Bernadotte that this govt is giving active consideration as member Truce Commission to his suggestion that military observers be made available to supervise observance of SC resolution of May 29. Please stress that owing to holiday we have not been able to make final arrangements and that we could only participate provided other governments’ members of Truce Commission join in sending military observers.
Subject to foregoing consideration that our policy has not yet received final clearance, you may tell Bernadotte that we believe that, following precedents established in providing military observers to Balkan Commission and to Good Offices Committee in Indonesia, personnel to assist Mediator and Truce Commission should be recruited from the three states members of Commission: Belgium, France and US. Tentatively we would suggest that each Govt send 21 officer [Page 1080] observers with necessary subordinate staff and equipment, including airplanes. Our own team would be made up of seven officers from each of the three services.
If field experience demonstrates necessity of larger number of observers we should be prepared to give favorable consideration to request for additional officers if asked for by Mediator and Truce Commission.
It is felt that SC resolution of May 29 is sufficient authority for Mediator and Truce Commission to recruit military observers along lines suggested above, and without further reference SC.
Repeated Paris 1884 and Brussels 824 with request these views be brought to immediate attention of Foreign Office and competent military authorities. Repeated Jerusalem 510; Cairo 680; Damascus 199; Beirut 280; for action in event Bernadotte not first reached by Consul Haifa. Repeated for info to Baghdad 175; Jidda 208; London 2010; USUN 347.2
- Not printed; it stated in part: “UN Representative Count Folke Bernadotte requested Military Attachés of American, British, and French Embassies to call on him noon May 30 in relation to Security Council’s Palestine cease-fire resolution of May 29, inquired as to what military or civilian observers he could expect in enforcing terms of resolution in form of land, sea, and air border patrols of the various states concerned as well as observers sufficient in number to function at principal land, sea, and air ports of entry to Palestine. Count Bernadotte also inquired if in formulating his plans he might count on any air patrols from one or more of the three above mentioned countries. He added that he would prefer to have observers from small countries such as the Scandanavian, but that since time was of the essence, aid must come if at all from those countries having some forces in vicinity Palestine.” (501.BB Palestine/5–3048)↩
- At
Mr. Lovett’s request, Mr. McClintock, on June 1, sent copies of
telegrams 640 and 90 to Mr. Clifford for President Truman’s
information. His transmitting letter concluded with the statement:
“It is not possible to determine whether or not we shall in fact he
called upon to supply military observers to the United Nations
Mediator until replies have been received from the Arab Governments
and the Provisional Government of Israel, in response to the request
of the Security Council of May 29 that they cease hostilities in
Palestine. If all parties do accept the Security Council’s
resolution, undoubtedly Count Bernadotte will have immediate need of
military observers and the Department will then wish to secure the
President’s approval of our sending our fair share of such officers
to assist the United Nations Mediator.” (501.BB Palestine/6–148)
The letter bears the following marginal notation by Mr. McClintock: “Mr. Clifford said June 3 that President had given his approval”.
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