501.BB Palestine/3–949: Telegram
Mr. Wells Stabler to the Secretary of State
91. Glubb Pasha gave following account this morning of armistice talks between Transjordan and Israel at Rhodes:
When talks commenced Israelis raised 4 points as conditions to cease-fire and armistice:
- (1)
- Free access to Hadassah and Hebrew University;
- (2)
- Free passage past Latrun;
- (3)
- Opening railroad to Jerusalem;
- (4)
- Filling in trench dug by Arabs in no man’s land near Government House. In return Jews would give electricity to Arab quarters Jerusalem. (All these points previously discussed in Jerusalem between Dayan and Abdullah Tel.)
As Transjordan delegation did not consider these conditions related to military armistice, officer returned to Amman for instructions. On return officer weatherbound at Cyprus and therefore Transjordan sent message yesterday to delegation instructing it accept 4 conditions but suggesting railroad be under joint control. As cost repair electric wiring in Arab part Jerusalem excessive, delegation also instructed state that instead electricity would prefer that road from Damascus gate past new gate and Jaffa gate and thence to Bethlehem be opened and that Jews give up their positions on Mount Zion, Nebidaoud and Deirabutor.1
Glubb said that Abdullah Tel thought Jews would accept this arrangement in belief that lines thus agreed would represent final lines in Jerusalem and that Arabs were giving up claims to upper Bakaa, Qatamon et cetera.
Glubb thought that “with any luck” cease-fire agreement would be signed tomorrow. He indicated that for purposes this agreement clause would be added to effect that it would be applicable to Iraqi areas if and when Arab Legion took over Iraqi front-line positions (Legtel 85, March 7).2
He said that next phase at Rhodes would be conclusion armistice but that with turn of events near Akaba one of Transjordan’s principal bargaining points disappearing. Consequently, there would seem to be little use in taking any but most reasonable attitude towards Jewish demands.
Sent Department 91, repeated Jerusalem 50.
- The United Nations announced, on March 9, that the Israeli and Transjordanian Delegations held “their first joint informal meeting” that afternoon at Rhodes. The meeting lasted two and a half hours, during which an exchange of views took place on 11 points, in a “very cordial atmosphere” (press release PAL/456).↩
- Not printed, but see footnote 1, p. 799.↩