684A.85/4–2353: Telegram
No. 598
The Ambassador in Jordan (Green) to the Department of State1
niact
900. On occasion reception to Diplomatic Corps at Palace April 23 King, in conversation with me, spoke with deep emotion of Israeli attack at Jerusalem. I said that some months ago in similar circumstances I had counselled Prime Minister to exercise patience of Job and that I thought that the counsel was wise in present circumstances. King replied that he did not know how long restraint and forebearance could govern action of people attacked as inhabitants and Arab Legion outposts at Jerusalem had been April 22 and 23.
After conversation with King, Prime Minister asked my British colleague and me to accompany him to his office in Palace. Minister of Defense acted as interpreter. Prime Minister addressed us formally, emphasizing flagrancy of attacks, stating that if firing continued Arab Legion would necessarily reply and that there was grave possibility that full scale military operations might result. He specifically invoked tripartite declaration and called upon us to urge upon our governments that they take action to bring an end to Israeli aggression without delay.
Prime Minister then turned to British Ambassador and invoked Treaty of Alliance asking him to request his government to consider means of implementation. He said that if firing continued he would in next few days ask British Ambassador to see him to discuss joint action to put an end to aggression.
Prime Minister said that Hashimite Kingdom of the Jordan was looking forward to Secretary’s visit with intention of discussing with him possible settlement with Israel but that military aggression of yesterday and today exacerbated feelings of the people and made possibility of settlement more remote.
British Ambassador and I replied in almost identical terms saying that we viewed situation with great seriousness, that we had already reported to our respective governments and would report substance of this conversation.
I then expressed strong hope that Hashimite Kingdom of the Jordan would exercise moderation and restraint even in this difficult situation. To that suggestion Prime Minister replied very much as King had replied earlier.
[Page 1180]Prime Minister stated that he proposed to summon French Chargé and say to him approximately what he had said to us.
At diplomatic reception I discussed situation with my British and Turk colleagues and found that both of them agreed with me that recent border incidents had been systematically exaggerated by Israelis in press and over radio in order to build up apparent justification for large-scale aggression against Jordan.2
- Repeated to Jerusalem, London, Paris, Baghdad, Tel Aviv, Cairo, Beirut, and Damascus.↩
- In response to this telegram, the Department stated on Apr. 24 that it was awaiting reports fixing responsibility for the attack before determining what action, if any, might be appropriate. (Telegram 856 to Amman, Apr. 24, 7:25 p.m.; 684A.85/4–2353)↩