Office of the Historian

501.BB Palestine/3–948: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)

secret
us urgent
Washington, March 9, 1948—6 p. m.

125. Following are approved questions for your use in ascertaining attitude of Jewish Agency, Arab Higher Committee, the Mandatory [Page 703] Power, and the Palestine Commission, on the present situation in Palestine with respect to the Assembly’s recommended plan of partition with economic union. You will note that the questions to be directed to the Jewish Agency and the Arab Higher Committee are, mutatis mutandis, identical. We feel in general that the questions should be limited in number and directed to the main issue which is whether the plan of partition with economic union is workable if carried out by peaceful means.

You should not be led into questions on whether or not the present situation in Palestine is a threat to international peace and security. This is a question which can only be directed to and answered by the Security Council and not by the Jews or Arabs of Palestine.

The questions follow seriatim:

To the Jewish Agency

1.
Do the Jews of Palestine accept the Plan of Partition with Economic Union recommended by the General Assembly?
2.
Do you believe that the Partition Plan can be implemented by peaceful means without agreement between the Jews and Arabs of Palestine?
3.
Are the Jews prepared to accept responsibility for governmental administration and for the maintenance of law and order within the proposed Jewish State?
4.
What is the attitude of the Arabs who would be within the proposed Jewish State toward the Partition Plan? Has any effort been made by Jewish leaders to obtain the agreement of Arab leaders to the plan of partition with economic union?
5.
Which elements in the proposed Partition Plan are considered by the Jews of Palestine as absolutely essential?
6.
What modifications do the Jews of Palestine consider might be made in the proposed Partition Plan to make agreement between the Jews and Arabs more possible of attainment?
7.
Is the proposed Economic Union essential to the viability of the proposed Jewish State?

To the Arab Higher Committee

1.
Do the Arabs of Palestine accept the Plan of Partition with Economic Union recommended by the General Assembly?
2.
Do you believe that the Partition Plan can be implemented by peaceful means without agreement between the Jews and Arabs of Palestine?
3.
Are the Arabs prepared by [to] accept responsibility for governmental administration and for the maintenance of law and order within the proposed Arab State?
4.
What is the attitude of the Arabs who would be within the proposed Jewish State toward the Partition Plan? Has any effort been made by Arab leaders to obtain the agreement of Jewish leaders to the Plan of Partition with Economic Union?
5.
Which elements in the proposed Partition Plan are considered by the Arabs as absolutely unacceptable?
6.
What modifications do the Arabs of Palestine consider might be made in the proposed Partition Plan to make agreement between the Jews and Arabs more possible of attainment?
7.
Is the proposed Economic Union essential to the viability of the proposed Arab State?

To the Mandatory Power

1.
Does the Mandatory Power accept the Plan of Partition with Economic Union recommended by the General Assembly? Does the Mandatory Power include in its acceptance the “adoption and implementation” by it and other Members of the Plan?
2.
Does the Mandatory Power consider that the Partition Plan can be implemented by peaceful means without agreement between the Jews and Arabs of Palestine?
3.
Does the Mandatory Power believe that the proposed plan of economic union is essential to the viability of the proposed Jewish and Arab States?
4.
Does the Mandatory Power consider that modifications of detail might be made in the proposed Partition Plan which would make it acceptable to both the Jews and Arabs of Palestine?
5.
Does the Mandatory Power have any suggestion to make in connection with the statement by Sir Arthur Creech Jones, March 2, that: “we shall welcome any effort to find a bridge, even at this late hour, across the gulf which now separates the two communities in Palestine.”?

To the Palestine Commission

1.
Has the Palestine Commission found sufficient acceptance of the Partition Plan on the part of (a) the Jews of Palestine (b) the Arabs of Palestine and (c) the Mandatory Power to afford a basis for its peaceful implementation?
2.
Has the Palestine Commission discovered possible modifications in either the substance or the procedures of the Partition Plan which might offer a basis for agreement among the people of Palestine?
3.
If no agreement has thus far been obtained on the Partition Plan between the Jews and Arabs of Palestine, what are the specific points at issue in such disagreement?
4.
To what extent does the Palestine Commission consider it possible to implement a substantial part of the plan by peaceful means?
5.
What would be the effect upon the proposed Economic Union of a, failure to obtain the agreement of both the Arabs and Jews of Palestine?
Marshall