501.BB Palestine/6–1848: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
us urgent
2348. You may assure Mr. Bevin and Foreign Office that this government cordially welcomes desire of British government to concert its views with ours in respect of Palestine. We agree with Bevin’s suggestion as indicated in Para. 4 urtel 2701, June 18, and hope it will be possible for both UK and US to formulate and recommend a common line of policy.
Your 2701 does not indicate Bevin’s thinking as to best practical approach which our two governments might make regarding Palestine if they should judge it wise to give advice to Count Bernadotte or if they should be requested for advice by Arab States or Provisional Government of Israel. We infer, however, that Foreign Office thinking has progressed along lines indicated in your 2712 June 19. It is highly important to know whether Bevin agrees with this trend of thought or whether he has some other solution in mind, as, for example, federation.
Dept is rapidly evolving its line of policy re future settlement of Palestine problem. For your own info and not for use as yet with UK [Page 1134] officials, our thinking—conditioned by fact of recognition of State of Israel—is that best solution for a sensible adjustment of Palestine problem would be to re-draw frontiers of Israel so as to make a compact and homogeneous state; remainder of Palestine to go largely to Transjordan with appropriate transfer of populations where necessary; Jerusalem to remain an international entity with free access to outside world; boundaries of Israel and enlarged Transjordan to be guaranteed mutually between themselves and UN; and economic prosperity of region to be enhanced by a customs union between Israel and Transjordan.
As soon as firm policy has been agreed upon you will receive further instructions.
Re Paragraph 7, your 2701, June 18, we are in entire agreement that even though a final solution is not reached during present 4-weeks’ period of cease-fire it is imperative that truce be continued.
You may inform Bevin that our most recent info from SYG Lie, based on telephone conversations and telegrams from Bernadotte, is that UN Mediator is not attempting to work out a final settlement at this time but will concentrate his efforts on Rhodes to extend period of truce and cease-fire and likewise to achieve demilitarization of Jerusalem. Apparently to this latter end Bernadotte has in mind recruiting UN armed guards for Jerusalem but full details of what he intends are not yet available. Foregoing with reference to Paragraph 8, your 2701, was given us as top secret by Lie.
We welcome your 2713, June 19,1 with its indication that British are willing to face up to responsibilities under Chapter 7 in event that this should become necessary. However, we very much share Bevin’s hope that a final settlement can be evolved without recourse to sanctions.