501.BB Palestine/6–2448: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
2402. For the Ambassador from Lovett. Assumptions set forth Para. 4 your 2785, June 24, are correct. We hope, now the “entente cordiale” has been reestablished, that both govts will be able to pull in tandem to assist in the constructive working out of this onerous Palestine problem.
Since views on both sides are not yet crystallized in the form of top level policy we suggest that for time being these interchanges of views by telegram be classified “Top Secret”.
Re channel of communications in development of our views on Palestine, we concur with Wright’s view that you should be principal means of communication to British Govt. Neither Cadogan nor the Embassy here have as direct and as influential access to Bevin as you and, in consequence, while the description set forth of your task in the final sentence of Para. 5 is painfully exact, we shall be glad to look to you as our principal negotiator with the UK.
It will be apparent from summary of our thinking set forth in third para, of Deptel 23481 that there is a very large measure of agreement between ourselves and British Foreign Office as to the most sensible arrangement of the Palestine issue, keeping always in mind the requirements on this govt to maintain its recognition of the State of Israel.
We thoroughly agree with British that Mediator’s best course, in light of Arab intransigence and the extreme statements which Arab [Page 1149] leaders have made, would be to temporize and to spin out the truce. We feel that, once the habit of not shooting at each other becomes more developed, its popularity will increase with both Jews and Arabs. We plan, as members of the Truce Commission, to give this advice to Count Bernadotte.
We are gratified by the energy and skill which you have displayed in treating with Bevin on this problem, which is so surcharged with emotion as well as difficulty, and would welcome your views as to an eventual modus vivendi and any comment you may have in mind on our own ideas in this regard. [Lovett.]