Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume VI

501.BB Palestine(E)/11–2349

Memorandum by the Department of State to the President

secret

Washington, [undated].

Subject: Palestine Refugee Program

On May 23 and 26 Mr. Webb discussed with you a proposed Palestine Refugee Program.¹ At that time you agreed that the Department should proceed with the development of a program along the general lines set forth in its memorandum of May 9, 1949. On August 26, 1949, at the time of the appointment of Mr. Clapp as Chairman of the Economic Survey Mission, you issued a statement pledging the full support of this Government to this Mission and offering to give careful consideration to such assistance as we might render, under the auspices of the United Nations, in carrying out the recommendations of this Mission.

Mr. Clapp has just submitted his first report² which recommends a combined direct relief and works program at a total cost of $54,900,000 for an eighteen months period from January 1, 1950, to June 30, 1951. The cost of direct relief would be $20,200,000 for the year 1950 and such relief would be terminated at the end of that year. The cost of the works program would be $13,500,000 for 1950 and $21,200,000 for the six months ending June 30, 1951.

The report further recommends that the present United Nations relief organization (United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees) be terminated in April 1950 and that a new agency be established by the General Assembly of the United Nations to carry out both the direct relief and works programs as recommended by the Economic Survey Mission.

Mr. Clapp has indicated to the Department, but not in the report, that it is premature to embark upon a more ambitious program because: (1) the Arab Governments are not yet prepared to discuss resettlement on a large scale; (2) Israel has been unwilling to undertake repatriation of a substantial number; and (3) sufficent engineering has not yet been done to warrant the initiation of large expenditures. It is contemplated that works programs will merge into plans for longer range development.

The Department has given careful consideration to Mr. Clapp’s report and has prepared a draft resolution³ which supports his recommendations (Tab A). The proposed organizational arrangement gives full recognition to the interest and concern of the United Nations in the Palestine problem and at the same time provides a role for the United States, the United Kingdom, and France which reflects the preponderant financial responsibility which they must assume.

This draft resolution has been presented to the Bureau of the Budget, who have cleared it subject to clearance by the National Advisory Council. Time does not permit National Advisory Council clearance, and the Department desires, if you concur, to take action in the General Assembly without such clearance.

Had time permitted the Department would have preferred comprehensive consultation with Congressional leaders.

Recommendation

It is recommended:

1. That the United States Delegation to the General Assembly be authorized to introduce or support a resolution along the lines of the attached draft without, at this time, publicly indicating the amount which the United States might contribute;

2. That the Department be authorized to consult with other delegations regarding the amounts which they may be prepared to contribute on the understanding that the United States contribution to be requested from Congress would not exceed 50 percent of the cost as determined by the General Assembly;

3. That Congressional leaders be consulted to the extent possible by the Department of State⁴ on the proposed course of action.⁵

1. See Acting Secretary Webb’s memoranda of those dates, pp. 1042 and 1056.
2. See editorial note, p. 1472.
3. Not found attached. Presumably, it was the draft of November 21, p. 1500.
4. Marginal notation by Acting Secretary Webb: “This program approved by phone call to the President Nov. 23, 1949, 4:05 p. m.”
5. Thus, on December 2, a group of Department officers discussed the matter with Judge John Kee, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House (memorandum of conversation, by Arthur Z. Gardiner, 501.BB Palestine(E)/12–249).