501.BB Palestine/7–1748: Telegram
The Acting United States Representative at the United Nations (Jessup) to the Secretary of State
urgent
905. Remytel No. 900, July 161 Count Bernadotte phoned me this evening to advance suggestion which he had previously made to Rusk, that the US provide approximately 100 non-coms and enlisted men [Page 1228] to assist officer observers already requested for supervision of truce. Bernadotte explained that in his opinion a group assigned on this basis would not form a military unit and from a legal point of view would not be on military duty. He emphasized that the type of service contemplated in no way involved combat, but would be confined to duty as drivers, guards, communications operators, et cetera.
I assured Bernadotte that while we were in no position at present to commit our military establishment along these lines, prompt and serious consideration would be given to his proposal. He stressed that time was valuable and that a prompt decision could make all the difference in the next few days. He concluded with the remark that having just received word of Arab assurance of the cease-fire for Jerusalem,2 he was taking off for the Middle East with high hopes and his “flag at the top”.
In our opinion Arab acceptance of Jerusalem cease-fire gives the Mediator’s suggestion a sound foundation which will doubtless be enlarged and strengthened if and when the cease-fire becomes effective for the whole of Palestine. In line with our general recommendations made in previous telegrams, we urge that earnest consideration be given this proposal as a practical way to assist the Mediator in his difficult and important task.
- Not printed; but see footnote 1, supra.↩
- Secretary General Azzam, in a telegram of July 17 to Secretary-General Lie, announced the Arab States’ acceptance of that part of the Security Council’s resolution of July 15 dealing with the cease-fire in Jerusalem; for text, see SC, 3rd yr., Supplement for July 1948, p. 79.↩