890.11/6–2248
Memorandum by the Acting Director of the Office of Near Eastern and African Affairs (Satterthwaite) to the Under Secretary of State (Lovett)1
Subject: Departmental Policy with Respect to Travel from the United States to the Arab Countries and Palestine.
Discussion:
You will note from the attached documents that, in accordance with the memorandum of May 21, 1948 (Tab A)2 approved by you, we have been observing the following policy with regard to the issuance of passports to American citizens to visit the Arab Countries and Palestine:
“In view of this general situation it is recommended that the Department should continue to refrain from granting passport facilities to American citizens to visit the countries of the Near East (Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Yemen), unless it is clearly established that their business is of an important and urgent nature and that they do not intend to participate directly or indirectly in the hostilities in Palestine.”
We have as yet formulated no policy with regard to travel from the United States to Palestine and the Arab countries of persons who are not American nationals.
You will also note from Mrs. Shipley’s3 memorandum to me of June 14, (Tab B),2 that she feels that we should ascertain the views of the Mediator respecting the screening of persons of military age proceeding to the Near East and Palestine. You will also observe from the attached telegram, No. 740 of June 12, 9 a. m., (Tab C), from Cairo,4 that Bernadotte has requested the Secretary General of the [Page 1130] United Nations to call paragraph 6 of the truce proposals to the attention of all members of the United Nations from which substantial immigration to Palestine and the Arab countries might emanate. Bernadotte has asked the Secretary General to request the governments concerned to call to the attention of their immigration control authorities “the significance of this provision to the operation of the truce and to advise them to extend cooperation and assistance to such representatives of the Mediator as he might find it possible to send to one or another port in the implementation of the immigration provisions of the truce proposals”.
On June 16, 1948 the Secretary General of the United Nations addressed a note to the United States Delegation to the United Nations5 calling the attention of this Government to paragraph 6 of the truce resolution of May 29 (Tab D), as requested by Count Bernadotte.
On June 21, 1948 the Department sent a telegram to the United States Delegation to the United Nations6 (Tab E), setting forth our reply to the note of the Secretary General of the United Nations and requesting the United States Delegation to inform the Secretary General that “instructions have been sent to the appropriate authorities to take necessary steps to prevent departure ‘fighting personnel’ from the United States to countries named in paragraph 3 of the resolution.”
It would appear that the two following considerations are involved in the determination of what our policy with regard to travel to the Arab countries and the Near East should be:
- 1.
- The desirability, until the danger of hostility and of acts of violence against American citizens has abated, that the number of American citizens in Palestine and in the Arab countries should be at a minimum.
- 2.
- The importance that the United States fully cooperate with the Mediator in his efforts to discourage violations of the truce.
With regard to the first consideration, it is believed that we should continue to follow our present policy not to issue passports for travel to the Near East and Palestine unless the purpose of the travel is urgent and important and unless it is clearly established that the applicant for passport does not intend to participate directly or indirectly in the hostilities in Palestine. We should, therefore, continue carefully to screen all applicants for passports to the Arab countries and Palestine.
With regard to the second consideration, it is our belief that it would [Page 1131] be preferable for such screening as might be necessary to discourage the entry of “fighting personnel” from the United States to Palestine to be performed in the United States by an official of this Government in consultation with a representative of the Mediator. The United States official would do what was proper to discourage the departure from the United States for Palestine and the Arab countries of persons who had been screened in this manner.
In view of the above, we have prepared for your approval the attached telegram to the Mediator.7
Recommendation:
It is recommended that you sign the attached telegram to the Mediator.
Concurrences:
PD UNA L