501.BB Palestine/8–1649: Telegram
Mr. Stuart W. Rockwell to the Secretary of State
Palun 277. Arab delegates in private meeting with PCC August 1 [15?] delivered informal reply re Israeli proposal concerning refugees.
Following main points:
Arab expectation Jews would advance reasonable proposals not realized. According terms December 11 resolution nearly 1,000,000 refugees must return their homes and Jews have offered accept less than 100,000. Moreover Jews in basing their proposal on all territory now under Jewish control ignore May 12 protocol.
Jews cannot oppose return large number refugees on economic ground while encouraging mass immigration of Jews. Re objections on security grounds must be recalled international security is assured by UN.
Arab delegates reiterate request in their May 23 memo for return all refugees coming from areas allotted to Arabs by partition plan such as western Galilee, Jaffa, etc. Return these refugees does not depend on will Jewish occupying authorities who do not have right interfere in affairs population occupied regions over which they do not exercise sovereignty.
After this only question to be discussed is that of refugees to be repatriated to regions allotted to Jews by partition. If Jewish proposal can be understood as applying only to this territory Arab delegations would not be opposed to its adoption as basis discussion problem refugees from this region.1
- Mr. Rockwell advised, on August 16, that in “View unrealistic and unhelpful nature Arab reply to Israeli proposal re refugees PCC has decided not to transmit to Israelis at present, but await Arab replies to questions on refugees asked by PCC August 15. PCC hopes efforts made Lausanne and by member governments in Arab capitals will result in more reasonable approach to refugee problem by Arab delegates.” (Palun 280 from Lausanne, 501.BB Palestine/8–1649)↩