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

501.BB Palestine/11–2048: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State

top secret
us urgent

Paris, November 20, 1948—9 p. m.

Delga 862. We have given further consideration Paragraph 5(b) (Gadel 522, November 18 and Gadel 535 [633¹], November 19) and suggest it be reworded as follows:

“That certain adjustments in the territorial arrangements of the GA resolution of 29 November 1947 should be considered through negotiations directly or through the UN Conciliation Commission; if as a result of such negotiations, the Jewish state remains in occupancy of Jaffa and all or part of Western Galilee, compensatory arrangements should be made in the Negev.”

Reference Delga 859, November 20,² we are inclined to believe changed wording may make this paragraph more acceptable to British. We believe in any event that reference to “Southern Negev[“] might be open to misinterpretation and that it would be preferable to refer to this area as “Negev” as hitherto. If you concur, it naturally follows that last clause as given Gadel 533, November 19 would have to be dropped.

At this stage, it would be difficult to comment in detail on Paragraph 4 of Gadel 522, November 18. After we have had reactions to US statement Committee 1, November 20, we will have more balanced perspective of possible course developments Committee 1.

Reference Paragraph 10, Delga 351, Beeley indicates British would have no objection to inclusion, but failed to see necessity therefor in view Paragraph 10, Delga 796.

Sent Department 862, repeated London as 1310.

Marshall

1. Latter not printed; but see footnote 3, p. 1609.
2. Not printed; it gave British comments on Gadel 522, November 18, p. 1608, and particularly, Ambassador Douglas’ report that “Beeley took rather strong exception to Department’s suggested redraft of Paragraph 5(b) of the United Kingdom resolution. He said Department’s redraft appeared to be in contradiction and wholly inconsistent with Paragraph 1, Gadel 522. Paragraph 1 appeared to establish Galilee and Negev on an equal basis. Department’s redraft, however, seemed to be a very important retrogression since it in effect gave Galilee and northern Negev to Jews leaving only southern Negev as offsetting factor.” (501.BB Palestine/11–2048)