Office of the Historian

501.BB Palestine/4–2248: Circular telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic and Consular Offices

secret
Washington, April 22, 1948—7 a. m.

Reference is made to Dept Radio Bulletin No. 94 of April 20 quoting statement regarding Palestine by Ambassador Austin in the First Committee of the General Assembly on that date.

Particular attention is directed toward those paragraphs dealing with efforts which US has made in concert with other members of UN since Special Session of May 1947 to achieve solution of Palestine problem which would be acceptable to Jews and Arabs of Palestine.

Particular attention is also directed to conclusion informally reached by members of SC on March 19 that “it was impossible to find the necessary agreement, either among the peoples of Palestine or among the members of the Security Council, to permit the peaceful implementation of the Assembly Resolution” of November 29, 1947 which provided for partition with Economic Union. It was for this primary reason that US thereafter suggested necessity for immediate truce in Palestine, early convocation of Special Session of GA and temporary trusteeship for Palestine which would provide interim governmental machinery in Palestine following termination British Mandate on May 15.

Call for truce was issued by SC April 17; Special Session GA was convoked April 16; US submitted draft trusteeship agreement April 20 [Page 844] as working paper to members UN for their consideration as feasible form interim governmental machinery for Palestine following termination British Mandate May 15. It is hoped other members UN will have suggestions to make concerning this draft, that it will be debated shortly and that if any members have alternative suggestions as to other forms interim governmental machinery they will make them as soon as possible.

You are instructed to discuss question of Palestine along foregoing lines immediately with Prime Min, For Min or Chief of State or if you deem it helpful with all of them. You should make it clear during your talks that unless way can be found at once to prevent situation in Palestine from developing into open warfare security of whole ME will be seriously threatened and economic situation of Arab world is certain to deteriorate with result that its economic development will be retarded for many years to come. You should also make it clear that so long as Palestine situation continues to remain serious threat to peace of ME it would seem to be pointless for US to endeavor to enter into any arrangements of political or economic nature looking forward to promotion of security or economic improvement of ME.1

You should impress upon officials with whom you are talking that no matter how deep an interest US may have in maintenance of security of ME and in development of ME prosperity it feels that there are no effective measures which it can take in this direction until way is found out of Palestine impasse.2

Sent to Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus, Jidda and Cairo for action; repeated to Jerusalem, London, Paris and New York for info.

Baghdad, Beirut and Jidda please await immediately following telegram3 before taking action.

Lovett
  1. The Office of Financial and Development Policy called a meeting on May 7 to discuss the economic implications of the political situation in the Middle East. The meeting was attended by nine economic officers and two NEA representatives. The memorandum covering the conversation was prepared by Samuel J. Gorlitz of the Division of Investment and Economic Development. It stated that “after general discussion, it was agreed that the circular telegram of April 22 to Middle East missions should be interpreted to mean that despite our long-range policy of positive economic assistance to the Middle East states, execution of specific projects should be delayed until the Palestine situation has been clarified, but that planning activities should continue.” (890.50/5–748)↩
  2. Ambassador Tuck conveyed the purport of the circular telegram of April 22 to Egyptian Prime Minister Nokrashy on April 24. He advised that “Nokrashy Pasha listened attentively, then remarked that message which I had delivered was very serious. While he did not say so in as many words, I had the inescapable impression that my statement to him—with reference to pointlessness for US to endeavor to enter into any arrangement of a political or economic nature looking forward to promotion of security or economic improvement of the ME pending solution Palestine impasse—was, in fact, an attempt by our government to force Arab states to modify their present policy toward defense of Palestine.” (Telegram 410, April 24, 5 p. m., 501.BB Palestine/4–2248)↩
  3. See telegram 117 to Baghdad, April 22, p. 850.↩