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

501.BB Palestine/6–548: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Egypt

confidential   us urgent
niact

Washington, June 6, 1948—7 p. m.

728. Dept expects final clearance assignment 21 officers (7 each from Army, Air Force and Navy Departments) by Defense Department Monday morning June 7. Officers are expected to depart by air for Cairo on June 7 or June 8. Army and Air Force Officers are being selected in European theatre and will leave from there. Navy officers are being selected in US and will leave from here. Officers will be accompanied by minimum transportation for use in Palestine such as planes and jeeps. Balance of needs will be determined following arrival in Near East and discussion with Count Bernadotte regarding availability from local sources such as British Army Palestine. (Embtel 685 June 5¹)

Dept will telegraph names and rank of all officers as soon as available. Each officer will be supplied as soon as possible with diplomatic passport indicating assignment as “Military Observer attached to the United Nations Mediator for Palestine and the Security Council Truce Commission for Palestine”. If time permits Dept will secure Egyptian visas in Washington. If not Dept requests you obtain Egyptian visas in Cairo as well as visas for such other Arab states as may be needed.

Dept is repeating this message to AmEmbassies Brussels and Paris for info FonOff. Dept requests that these missions urge Belgian and French Governments each to contribute 21 officers as requested by Count Bernadotte and point out how important it is to maintain presently existing balance in Truce Commission during this critical period.²

Sent to Cairo, Brussels and Paris for action; repeated to Baghdad, Haifa, Beirut, Damascus, Jerusalem, Jidda and USUN (New York) for info.

Marshall

1. Not printed.
2. The Department, on June 8, informed Cairo that the “Naval observer team to assist Count Bernadotte and Security Council Truce Commission, composed of five naval pincers and two marine officers, Will leave by air today at 1300 hours for Cairo.” They were instructed to “report to United Nations Mediator, Count Bernadotte, through intermediary of American Chargé d’Affaires, American Embassy, Cairo. Likewise instructed to report as occasion warrants to US Member of Security Council Truce Commission in Jerusalem or elsewhere; and to American Consulate—Haifa, American Special Representative—Tel Aviv (when established), and American Missions—Beirut, Damascus, Baghdad, Jidda, as occasion warrants.” (Telegram 739, 501.BB Palestine/6–848)

   Count Bernadotte informed Chargé Patterson, on June 9, that “he had in conversation yesterday with Prime Minister Nokrashy Pasha obtained latter’s full assent to entry into Egypt of American, Belgian and French military and naval personnel for purposes of implementing proposed Palestine truce.” (Telegram 710 from Cairo, 501.BB Palestine/6–948)