501.BB Palestine/7–948: Telegram
The Chargé in Egypt (Patterson) to the Secretary of State
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957. Following from Stabler1 now in Amman. Count Bernadotte accompanied by Bunche and Mohn arrived this morning at invitation [Page 1203] of King Abdullah. Bunche on behalf of Bernadotte requested that following message be transmitted to Department:
“Bernadotte feels that Security Council should take immediate and strong action to bring Arab states to their senses, Now that Arab League has made decision rejecting truce, some formula must be found immediately to permit Arab states to change their decision without loss of face. Bernadotte believes that if Security Council should adopt resolution threatening use of all provisions of charter including armed intervention, Arab states would back down. Bunche said that Arab officials have privately intimated to Bernadotte that such resolution would give them a way out without incurring risk of internal dissension. It would permit Arabs to say in effect we are unable to fight the world; therefore, we must bow to the UN.
Bunche indicated that Bernadotte might suggest to Security Council some aerial or naval demonstrations as example UN’s determination to stop hostilities in Palestine.
Bernadotte will leave Amman at noon for Haifa and then return to Rhodes to see whether Arabs will discuss further demilitarization of Jerusalem; if so, he will proceed Cairo tomorrow.”
- [Stabler]
- Patterson
- Wells Stabler, the Vice Consul at Jerusalem; detailed to Amman.↩