501.BB Palestine/10–1648: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)1 to the Acting Secretary of State
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Delga 366. From Rusk, Ross, Wilkins. Reference is made to Bern[adotte] report paragraph four (g) which incorporates conclusion Jerusalem should be treated separately and should be placed under effective UN control with maximum feasible local autonomy for Arab and Jewish communities, with full safeguards for protection holy places and sites and free access to them and for religious freedom.
Reference also made US opening statement last regular GA in which US representatives on October 11 said if new political institutions are to endure they must provide for early assumption by people themselves of responsibility for own domestic order.
US has subsequently followed policy of suggesting maintenance law and order in Palestine rests with people concerned and specifically in Jerusalem has suggested use well disciplined units Jewish and Arab military forces under UN supervision. US has also consented in principle to recruitment UN guard force through SYG for protection UN representatives in field but not for maintenance law and order in area under UN consideration.
USGADel staff believes Department should thoroughly review Palestine situation in light of unrealistic character under present conditions of (1) an international force for Jerusalem and (2) an international budget for Jerusalem administration. Such police force and budget would require US to assume major role if there is any hope of obtaining GA approval. It does not appear likely that US would be willing to make commitment lion’s share this effort. Alternative is to tie city of Jerusalem and surrounding community under such international guarantees as are required to preserve special status as Holy City. For example, on assumption basic agreement between Israel and Abdullah could be obtained on other issues, it may be possible to place Jewish Jerusalem under an Israel trusteeship and Arab Jerusalem under a Transjordan trusteeship, the two to be coordinated by representatives in Jerusalem of UNTC. Trusteeship agreements would provide international guarantees of access to Jerusalem and protection of and access to holy places, etc. Such an arrangement would leave security and budgetary responsibility upon those primarily concerned and would go long way toward meeting prestige demands of both Jews and Arabs for Jerusalem.
Something along trusteeship line might be developed without [Page 1485] formal trusteeship arrangements if that appears desirable. However, Bernadotte report seems to exclude direct annexation of Jerusalem to either Israel or Transjordan or to both as integral parts national territory.
Perhaps present session GA should indicate that it understands Bernadotte proposal to mean no integral annexation of Jerusalem to either Jewish or Arab state, maximum local autonomy, and some form international guarantees of legitimate international religious interest.
USGADel staff believes Department should give urgent and serious consideration to review Palestine problem in order that we might sound out other delegations this basis. On most informal and unofficial basis, British preliminary reaction was objection based on augmentation of TC by another four members upset of balance between administering and non-administering interests. That indicates they have no serious objection to the merits of the solution insofar as Jerusalem and Palestine alone are concerned.
On the other hand British and Bunche feel most strongly consideration detailed proposals Jerusalem this session might bog down whole Palestine problem in committee and that it would be preferable to establish principle UN control, leaving preparation detailed proposals to CC and next GA session as suggested paragraph eight, Delga 351, October 15 [16]. [Rusk, Ross, Wilkins.]
- Austin was the ranking officer of the Delegation in the absence of Marshall, who had just left for a 3-day trip to Athens and Rome.↩