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

501.BB Palestine/9–2948

Draft Telegram to the Diplomatic Offices in the Arab Capitals¹

secret
us urgent

Washington, undated.

Pursuant to Depcirtel Sept 22 instructing you to inform Govts to which accredited of this Govt’s full support of conclusions Bernadotte Plan in its entirety, please call at once on Prime Minister or Foreign Minister in your discretion and make following points:

1. Arab Govts will undoubtedly have received Bernadotte’s report and have given it careful study. US Govt has likewise scrutinized Mediator’s report and his conclusions with utmost care and as indicated by Secretary of State feels that his proposals afford a workable basis for peaceful adjustment of Palestine situation.

2. In view of special weight which attaches in Arab world to issues of personal honor and integrity, Govt to which you are accredited will undoubtedly be interested to know that Dept has received from source of unimpeachable authority info that Count Bernadotte only two days before his tragic death felt that his proposals regarding “peaceful adjustment of situation of Palestine” were eminently reasonable and just to both sides. You may add that Dept places this info in hands of interested Govts as statement of historical record and because US is convinced that Mediator has produced a plan for Palestine which is based upon principles of right and justice.

3. Scrutinizing Bernadotte Plan from Arab point of view it will at once be seen that his conclusions under Para. 4 (d) are particularly designed to allay Arab fears that Jewish state, once having achieved lodgment on Palestine coast, may encroach on Arab world.

The assurance by UN that boundaries between Arab and Jewish territories as recommended by Mediator shall be respected and maintained can in the opinion of this Govt be made effective, provided Arab Govts and PGI can even tacitly acquiesce in recommendations of Bernadotte as reinforced by decision of GA. Under UN charter not only shall all members of UN settle their international disputes by peaceful means and shall refrain in their international relations from threat or use of force against territorial integrity or political independence of any State (Art. 2, Para. 3 and 4), but the organization shall ensure that States which are not members of UN act in accordance with these principles. There is therefore a Charter obligation to respect territorial integrity of existing States. If new frontier in Palestine can be demarcated on GA recommendation and with acquiescence of the parties this frontier will automatically be protected by Charter articles cited above. Furthermore this Govt has many times made clear its unequivocal view that SC has responsibility to prevent recourse to force to settle international differences. US in future will insist in SC that any recourse to hostilities from either side in Palestine situation be opposed if necessary by action under Chapter VII.

In addition to fixing of new boundaries pursuant to UN action there are other possible guarantees of new frontier which will be apparent to Arab Govts such as UK treaties of guarantee and the possibility of diplomatic action on part of friendly govts which would make clear that these powers regarded new frontiers in Palestine as having been established in interest of world peace and—it is profoundly hoped—with acquiescence of the states concerned.

4. In light of fact that Bernadotte Plan contemplates “freezing” of Israeli frontier principal Arab worry over unlimited Jewish immigration to Palestine would seem to have no basis provided Arab states as we hope will concur in application of Bernadotte Plan. It should be apparent to farseeing Arab statemen that there is a finite limit to Israeli territory under Bernadotte’s recommendations and that more than a limited amount of new inhabitants cannot be established on such a limited territory.

5. Arab Govts will be quick to note also special assurance in Bernadotte Plan regarding right of refugees to return to their homes or to receive adequate compensation for property lost in event they opt to remain elsewhere. Arab Govts will also, we presume, have noted statement in Secretary’s speech to GA Sept 23² regarding not only repatriation of refugees but also his reference to economic aid to Jews and Arabs to restore and strengthen their economic well-being.

6. In the long run as history has shown, Arab statesmen are realists. You should in most friendly way quote to them Bernadotte’s words in Sect. II, Para. 9, of Mediator’s report, Part I. This section is entitled “Basic Factors in the Palestine Situation.” The para opens with sentence “It is fruitless to conjecture whether Arabs or Jews might have won a decisive victory in Palestine had international intervention not brought the fighting to a halt …³ Had the war continued it would most likely have ended in a stalemate, which in itself would amount to a Jewish victory. But the UN had firmly determined that the war could not go on and that the Palestine dispute must be settled by peaceful means. And that is the Arab dilemma. The Jewish State, established under the cloak of UN authority, can be eliminated only by force. The UN, however, has decreed that force must not be employed. Therefore the Arab States must resign themselves to the presence of the Jewish State or pursue the reckless course of defying the UN and thereby incurring liabilities the full burden and danger of which cannot be calculated in advance.”

You should add that logic of this statement seems irrefutable and that facts altho they may be accepted with most poignant regret by Arab leaders must speak for themselves. Since this Govt in company with other Govts is determined that force shall not be used to achieve a solution of Palestine problem and will use its utmost endeavors in SC and elsewhere to ensure this end, Arab govts would be well advised to seek course of statesmanship and accept or at least acquiesce in Bernadotte Plan. You should make clear that in offering this counsel US has no other motivation than to act as steadfast friend of Arab world.

Sent for action to Cairo as ________, Damascus as ________, Beirut as ________, Baghdad as __________, Jidda as _______, Wells Stabler, Philadelphia Hotel, Amman, as _________.

Sent for info to Paris as Gadel ________, London ________, Jerusalem _________.

1. Drafted on September 29 by Mr. McClintock for Mr. Lovett’s signature. This message and the one, infra, were not sent; see last paragraph of Mr. McClintock’s memorandum of September 30, p. 1437.
2. For the full text of Secretary Marshall’s address, see Department of State Bulletin, October 3, 1948, p. 432.
3. As in the source text.