501.BB Palestine/10–1048
Draft Statement Prepared in the Department of State1
From the statements made by the Arab leaders and by spokesmen for the State of Israel, it is clear that the Mediator’s plan for a settlement of the Palestine problem will cause debate in the United Nations. The Arabs still refuse to admit the existence of the State of Israel and take other less important exceptions to some of Bernadotte’s proposals. The Israelis strongly object to the Mediator’s proposal under which the Negeb, which was allotted to the Jewish State under the November 29th Resolution of the General Assembly, was to be turned over to the Arabs. Under the Mediator’s plan Western Galilee, previously allotted to the Arabs, was to go to the Israelis.
The two parties are, therefore, far apart in their respective views and must be brought together if there is to be a settlement of the Palestine issue.
In our opinion, the Bernadotte plan provides a sound basis for the adjustment of their differences before the United Nations. It should not be too difficult to reach an agreement given a real desire on the part of the two peoples.2
- A marginal notation by Mr. McClintock states that this paper was prepared on October 10 for Mr. Lovett’s press conference of October 13. Another copy of the proposed statement, filed with Mr. Clifford’s telegram of October 11, infra, bears a marginal notation stating that President Truman approved the paper at 12:50 p. m., October 10.↩
- A marginal notation by Mr. McClintock on October 11 reported information from Mr. Lovett that the statement approved by the President had been disapproved by White House political advisers “who preferred to say nothing at all than to give this statement.”↩