501.BB Palestine/11–2648: Telegram
The Acting Chairman of the United States Delegation at Paris ( Dulles ) to the Secretary of State
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6047. Eyes only for Lovett from Rusk—no distribution. Now understand that McDonald has sent message1 direct to President through State Department channels without knowledge of Dulles which comments adversely upon delegation attitude Palestine. Since delegation is acting strictly under instructions and no principal delegate is objecting to our line of action, this may create intolerable situation. Apparently one point of concern is question of UN membership for Israel. Israel has not even applied for membership. Israel knows proper procedure is to file application with Security Council. Israel also knows US will give them as much help as possible when matter comes to SC. We are already taking matter up with other SO delegations.
We thought we had convinced Eban and Comay that negative or marginal vote in GA Committee One on this question prior to SC action would be fatal to their chances. Many delegations would abstain on basis it is undignified for Assembly to solicit membership of [Page 1630] state which has not even applied. We have urged Israel to apply but they insist on playing hard to get.
One possibility would be to ask McDonald to hasten back to Tel Aviv with personal message from President to Ben Gurion stating, among other things, (a) US believes now is time to move definitely to final solution Palestine and we are doing everything possible to bring other parties to attitude of negotiation and settlement (b) we are anxious to accomplish Israel membership in UN’ at this session; we believe prospects are fair but know that attitude of other members SC turns on assurance that Israel has no more military objectives in mind and will cooperate with SC in maintaining peace (c) we believe application to SC by Israel for UN membership in conjunction with ‘conciliatory attitude toward SC effort to establish armistice would be an appropriate step, (d) et cetera, et cetera.
Perhaps no trouble will develop this end, but if we begin to get sudden telephone calls which cut across our instructions, reserve a wing at St. Elizabeth’s.2 [Rusk.]