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

501.BB Palestine/12–3148: Telegram

The Special Representative of the United States in Israel (McDonald) to the Acting Secretary of State

top secret   urgent
niact

Tel Aviv, December 31, 1948—1 p. m.

350. Redeptel 281, December 30, 5 p. m., received at 1 p. m. December 31. True copy typed at 1:45. At 2 p. m. called Shertok who came my house and I read him careful paraphrase. Knox present. Shertok informed me Ben-Gurion left Tel Aviv for Tiberias at 12 noon but would immediately attempt get in touch with him. I urged necessity my seeing BG here or Tiberias today. Owing distance Tel Aviv to Tiberias and gravity of question 10 or 12 hours may elapse before I am able send full reply.

Shertok’s tentative and informal preliminary reply was as follows:

1. As for Israel incursion into Egypt he admitted such operations but stated uninformed as to details (Shertok returned Israel only last 24 hours). Shertok observed that his opinion such operations based on military logic of total operations and not any intentions seize Egyptian territory.

2. As regards Trans-Jordan Shertok was positive. He stated that our government’s advices inaccurate. Israel has informed Trans-Jordan that negotiations must proceed further than present cease-fire arrangements toward an effective armistice looking toward peace. Last secret meeting of negotiators took place night December 30 in Arab part Jerusalem with Shiloah, Colonel Dayan and secretary on one side and Abdullah el-Tel on other. Next secret, meeting is for January 5 in Jewish Jerusalem. Shertok stated that if any statement regarding “war or peace” was made at earlier meeting it was in course conversational exchange, was not an ultimatum, and used in an effort persuade Trans-Jordan proceed to definite armistice.¹

McDonald

1. Mr. McDonald, later the same day, reported that he and Mr. Knox were leaving immediately for Tiberias to see the Israeli Prime Minister, who was ill. He also advised of information from Mr. Shiloah that orders had already been issued for the immediate withdrawal of small Israeli units from the Egyptian side of the frontier (telegram 351 from Tel Aviv, 501.BB Palestine/12–3148).