Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume V, Part 2

501.BB Palestine/8–2048: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the American Mission at Tel Aviv

secret   us urgent
niact

Washington, August 21, 1948—10 a. m.

59. The Dept is concerned at report in Haifa’s 334 Aug 20 repeated to you in next telegram.¹

Please telegraph immediately your estimate of situation. If it appears that PGI is on point of breaching truce and embarking on renewed hostilities you should call immediately on Ben Gurion and Shertok and impress on them the risks PGI will run in SC of being found to be the aggressor, with consequent sanctions, etc. Furthermore, you should point out the continued determination of this Government to do utmost to preserve truce and through it peace in Palestine.

Marshall

1. Not printed; it advised that responsible neutral elements at Haifa were convinced that the Jews were about to make a determined effort to take all of Jerusalem and that “In opinion of many observers drain on financial resources Israeli Government and economic disruption of country caused by maintenance large armed forces makes impossible situation for Government which must act immediately despite truce.” (501.BB Palestine/8–2048)