Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 1

684A.85/2–853: Telegram

No. 561
The Consul at Jerusalem (Tyler) to the Department of State¹

secret
priority

Jerusalem, February 8, 1953—2 p.m.

102. About January 28, Lt Col Gaon informed Vigier, senior UN representative here, about attack on train and highway between Tel Aviv and Haifa (Tel Aviv telegram 1224, January 30).² Israel, usually so quick to complain, made no complaint to MAC. Jan 30 edition Jerusalem Post reported Herut’s article day before complaining no official communiqué published about incident and added, in reference to supply of arms to Arab states by Western powers, “Israel might still turn tables on Arab countries as quantitative advantage is still on our side”. This article led Vigier to suppose Herut was Israeli army newspaper.

In two years here I have found UN observers lean over backwards to be fair. Although not wishing to be cynical they know if they show any prejudice they will lose jobs, which, especially to non-Americans, are exceptionally lucrative for them. They admit infiltration is frequent, but frankly they have not observed recent great increase reported by Israel (Tel Aviv telegram 1247).³ As Dr. Ralph Bunche (arrived Jerusalem February 7) observed “smuggling has been part of external history this part of world”. UN personnel aware Israel’s precarious economic plight and have begun confidentially to wonder if some loss by them is not from one Israeli Kibbutz to another.

They also disturbed by recent events, such as weakness Israel contention an arms depot was robbed in reply to Jordan contention Israel trying to supply arms to Mt. Scopus (Consulate General despatch 103, December 22, 1952);⁴ and Israel claim three soldiers and civilian driving teacher “accidentally” crossed no-mans-land at extremely difficult spot marked and guarded (Contel 80, January 13).⁴ With reference to recent Israel attacks on Rantis and Falama border, as military men wonder who if Israel forces in company strength, met Arab infiltrators in Israel, no wounded or dead found as evidence. While Israel generally protests to MAC over each Arab infiltration caught, wounded or killed in Israel they never before, according to UN, have made such strong protests over infiltration in general. If they so worried about it why did they break local commanders’ agreements which helped curb it? (Contel 80, January 13.)⁵ Also Sharett’s strongly worded protest to Ambassador Davis should have come before their attacks so that pressure could have been brought on Jordan to curb infiltration. As result such reasoning UN personnel, while still guessing infiltrators from Falama blew up railway, it fits in so well with Israel complaints, gives them such favorable publicity with so little damage done (it was repaired before investigated) that they are not free from thoughts expressed Amman’s telegram 630, February 24.⁵

However, Israel in best position to judge damage caused her by infiltration and, unfortunately, she believes such attacks against Jordan villages best means of checking it. Comment follows.

Tyler

1. Repeated to Amman, Tel Aviv, Cairo, Beirut, Damascus, London, Paris; sent by pouch to Ankara, Rome, Baghdad, and Jidda.
2. Not printed, but see footnote 2, Document 554.
3. Document 557.
4. Not printed.
4. Not printed.
5. Not printed.
5. Not printed.