Editorial Note
Lay transmitted the proposed Statement of Policy on the Arab States and Israel to the National Security Council on March 1 as NSC 47/3. The Staff Study on the subject was also enclosed for the information of the Council. In his note of transmittal, Lay also took note of Acting Secretary Webb’s observation that as certain of the proposed policies would require legislative action, the Council should consider the draft Statement “as soon as possible”. Therefore, Council consideration of NSC 47/3 was scheduled for the next regular meeting on March 7 (Note by the Executive Secretary to the National Security Council on United States Policy Toward the Arab States and Israel (NSC 47/3), March 1, 1951, S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351: NSC 47 Series).
In a memorandum for the National Security Council on March 2, Lay reported that by agreement between the Departments of State [Page 93] and Defense, NSC 47/3 had been removed from the Council agenda for March 7 and was being referred to the Senior NSC Staff in anticipation of Council consideration of March 14 (S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351: NSC 47 Series). On March 6, the NSC Staff submitted as NSC 47/4 a revision, not printed, of the Statement of Policy, and on the following day, the Staff submitted as NSC 47/4 Annex a revision, not printed, of the Staff Study which had been enclosed with NSC 47/3. Copies of NSC 47/4 and NSC 47/4 Annex are in S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351: NSC 47 Series. On March 13, at the request of the Secretary of Defense, Lay circulated to the National Security Council, in connection with consideration of NSC 47/4 at its March 14 meeting, a memorandum of March 13 by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense. In the memorandum the Joint Chiefs of Staff proposed certain amendments to NSC 47/4 and expressed the view that, with the amendments, they perceived no objection from the military point of view to the draft statement of policy in NSC 47/4.
At its 86th meeting on March 14, the National Security Council, the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, and the Director of Defense Mobilization adopted the proposed statement of policy in NSC 47/4 subject to the amendments recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as revised in accordance with the recommendations of the Secretary of State, (For amendments to NSC 47/4, see footnotes to NSC 47/5, page 95.) The Council also noted the following statement of the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Joint Secretaries (Army, Navy, and Air Force), read at the meeting by the Secretary of Defense:
“That any proposed resultant legislation be discussed, prior to submission to Congress, with prominent senators and congressmen interested in the Israel problem and that after such discussions conferences be held with the leaders of the various Zionistic and other Jewish-American groups having an interest with this problem.
“That prior to inclusion of the Arab and Israel states in MDAP legislation, serious consideration be given to the effect of such inclusion on the total presentation. The Mutual Defense Program may have tough sledding legislatively, and from a Defense viewpoint, care must be taken not to jeopardize obtaining sufficient funds for critical areas by utilizing the forum of congressional committees for diplomatic and political purposes.” (NSC Action No. 451)
The draft statement of policy in NSC 47/4 and the annex as amended were designated NSC 47/5 (page 95), and were submitted to the President on March 14 for consideration. For documentation on the drafting changes proposed for NSC 47/4 and the annex to it and on the 86th meeting of the National Security Council, see S/S–NSC Files: Lot 63 D 351: NSC 47 Series.