501.BB Palestine/4–949: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consulate General at Jerusalem
195. Unpal 76. [For Ethridge.] Re Palun 103, Mar 311 and 117, Apr. 9,2 you are authorized discuss with other members PCC possibility expressing internl responsibility and concern for Holy Places in [Page 911] Jerusalem by means of Arab and Israeli trusteeships along lines outlined by Secy to Sharett as reported 2nd para Deptel 208, Apr. 6 to Tel Aviv.3
We have impression from Palun 117 that Fr position is unrealistic and that we must seek achieve minimum of internationalization of Jerusalem which will be possible of acceptance by both sides rather than to perfect intricate and logical plan which will have no basis in reality. You are authorized in conversation with Israeli officials to indicate that Sharett told Secy he personally found suggestions for trusteeship reasonable and worth further study, although he did not exclude possibility solution by direct agreement between Israel and Transjordan.
- Identified also as telegram 161 from Beirut, not printed.↩
- Identified also as telegram 276 from Jerusalem, not printed, but see footnote 1, p. 904.↩
- Not printed, but see footnote 2, p. 894; the second paragraph of the telegram is virtually a direct quotation of the sixth paragraph of Secretary Acheson’s memorandum of conversation of April 5, p. 890.↩