Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, The Near East and Africa, Volume V

867N.01/2–1447: Telegram

The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Gallman) to the Secretary of State

secret
us urgent

London, February 14, 1947—7 p. m.

1048. British delegates advised Embassy as follows re brief meeting today between British delegates and Arab delegates (Embassy’s 1033, February 14):

1. Bevin informed Arab delegates that his colleagues in Cabinet had agreed with Creech Jones and himself that, inasmuch as plan offered by British Delegation had met with no acceptance from either Arabs or Jews, question must now be referred to UN without British recommendations. Bevin said that Britains would present question before UN as impartially as possible, making available for UN use all proposals submitted, including Arab proposals.

2. Arab delegates asked British to stop all Jewish immigration in interim between now and UN decision. British replied that they would prefer to maintain status quo. This Arabs said could only mean a return to White Paper the last of whose 75,000 immigrants had entered Palestine in December 1945. Arabs said British had established 1500 as interim rate in connection with work of now defunct Anglo-American Committee, and that all Jewish immigration should now cease. Bevin replied that he would refer to Cabinet Arab delegates’ request to stop immigration.

3. Re Arab request that Jewish immigration should be terminated, Mathieson, ColOff, said that immigration being crux of problem Bevin will undoubtedly ask Cabinet to decide. He thought 1500 visas monthly would be continued on grounds that this interim rate had been established by British in expectation that Anglo-American Committee would be able to bring Palestine question to some conclusion. Conclusion has not been reached, however, and until it is, 1500 immigrants monthly is reasonable. On other hand, Mathieson thought that emphasis Arab Delegation has placed on immigration made it impossible to yield to Jewish pressure to increase rate above 1500.

4. British Delegation will spend weekend working on a statement to be made before Parliament February 18¹ (not February 17 as reported reftel) and on a White Paper to be issued February 18 in preparation for Palestine debate probably February 20. No final decision has been taken re contents of White Paper.²

Gallman

1. For statement made by Mr. Bevin before the House of Commons on February 18 concerning the termination of the conference with the Arabs and the consultations with the Jewish Agency and the British intention to submit the Palestine question to the United Nations, see Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, 5th series, vol. 433, col. 985.
2. The reference is to British Cmd. 7044, Palestine No. 1 (1947).