Office of the Historian

501.BB Palestine/3–849: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Special Representative of the United States in Israel (McDonald), at Tel Aviv

secret
Washington, March 8, 1949—4 p. m.

us urgent

140. Pls take up with Israeli auths report contained Baghdad Embtel 95 March 81 rptd you as 2. If report substantiated state in strongest terms that USG as member PCC would deplore any action leading new outbreak hostilities.2

Acheson
  1. Not printed; it reported information from the Iraqi Foreign Minister that Israeli forces were concentrating at various points with the apparent intention of dislodging Iraqi troops from the Iraqi-occupied sector of Palestine. It also contained the Foreign Minister’s hope that the United States “would do everything possible to restrain Israel from aggression against Iraqi troops.” (867N.01/3–849)↩
  2. This telegram was repeated to Baghdad and to Jerusalem for Mr. Ethridge, Chargé Dorsz conveyed the substance of the message on March 8 to the Foreign Minister and Under Secretary of the Foreign Office Rawi. Both “expressed gratitude over quick US action.” (Telegram 100, March 10, 9 a. m., from Baghdad, 501.BB Palestine/3–1049)↩