Office of the Historian

684A.85/4–2853: Telegram

No. 600
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Israel1

secret
Washington, April 28, 1953—6:58 p.m.

962. Re recent Jordan-Israel border incidents.

1.
Department informed British Government has instructed British representatives Amman and Tel Aviv to inform respective governments along following lines:
a.
To Israel British expressed concern at Israel’s uncooperative attitude towards UN authorities and at lack restraint their armed forces. Urged Israel Government to agree to revival local commanders, agreement, to cooperate with UN officials in investigation recent incidents, and to moderate publicity.
b.
To Jordan British noted HKJ intends to refrain from provocative action and wants to reach eventual agreement with Israel. Urged HKJ to cooperate with MAC and make constructive reply to Israel memorandum (apparently of March 25 via MAC).
c.
Both Israel Government and HKJ urged to enter into high level discussions on whole border problem.
2.
British and French stand on Tripartite Declaration but French at least do not consider it has been invoked. Department preliminarily considers declaration inapplicable in recent incidents in absence evidence either side preparing to violate frontiers or armistice lines. MAC report awaited to clarify this point.
3.
British informed Department Israel refused MAC access to six wounded Israelis. If confirmed, Tel Aviv should inform IG failure to cooperate with UN will raise doubt on validity Israel claims.
4.
Tel Aviv and Amman should urge acceptence UN proposal for high level talks on border problems.
5.
Comment requested on suggestion that three separate Jordan–Israel MACs be set up one for Jerusalem area and one each for northern and southern areas. Idea would be to make UN machinery [Page 1182] more effective by making possible prompt effective investigations and decisions on armistice violations not now possible by the single MAC because of great number incidents demanding its attention. This would, of course, probably involve increase in number of UN observers.
Dulles
  1. Repeated to Amman as telegram 873, to Jerusalem as 59, and by pouch to London, Paris, Cairo, Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus, and Jidda.↩