501.BB Palestine/5–2849: Telegram
Mr. Mark F. Ethridge to the Secretary of State
822. Palun 175. Consult Rusk for distribution. In private meeting last night with Fawzi Mulki of Transjordan Delegation, he told me Arab Delegates will not make any further concessions here. He said their attitude was based on several factors:
- 1.
- They felt they had made concessions in signing protocol (reference Palun 1481) acknowledging partition as fact and as basis for further negotiation; in being willing to accept what they regarded as minor concessions on refugee problem as set out in their 9–point memo (reference Palun 1662) without demanding more substantial concession now; and in indicating in point 3 of their May 21 memo (reference Palun 1653) that they were willing to go into territorial talks, even if their method was to back into such talks. On contrary, they argued that Jews have given nothing and are demanding more. No Arab politician could dare make any further concessions.
- 2.
- Neither Egypt nor Syria cared in circumstances whether they made peace, and Lebanese had taken position that it would go along with, but not ahead of, other Arab states. They want peace on basis they regard as decent, that is, one that would not overthrow their governments. He said armistice agreements had badly shaken Arab world and Arab politicians had been able to explain them away only by saying armistice lines were not peace lines. To give more now than armistice lines called for would be to wreck Arab governments, and Arab politicians could not be expected to do that.
- 3.
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Transjordan’s attitude had modified and hardened considerably because of experience in Tulkarm triangle and in Jerusalem area. Fawzi Mulki felt that by their excessive gun-point demands Jews, [Page 1072] while pretending so [sic] friendship with Abdullah, had actually lowered his prestige to point where he could no longer help them in peace making. He said feeling was shared by all Abdullah’s advisers and even by King himself and was responsible for failure of mixed committee at Jerusalem and for King’s refusal to approve separate meetings between Mulki and Sasoon at Lausanne. Mulki says Transjordan is determined that unless Jews make some concessions by which Transjordan can rescue some of her prestige he doubted whether any peace could come and he personally would not sign such peace. “All the King can do is dismiss me,” he said, “I will not face wrath of people of Transjordan and Arab world by signing away more than we have already given. The Jews have been too clever.” Fawzi Mulki said he would continue to try here and would discuss with Arab Delegates question of asking commission to make proposals before breaking up.
Fawzi Mulki said there would, of course, be no trouble in getting commitments from Arab Governments on accepting refugees providing Israel made satisfactory commitment. He says Arabs have already agreed among themselves they will have to accept refugees and even Iraq has given some encouragement.