Office of the Historian

501.BB Palestine/11–448: Telegram

Mr. Wells Stabler to the Acting Secretary of State

secret
Amman, November 4, 1948—9 a. m.

103. King made following comments this morning:

1.
Gratified by reelection President who, through previous experience, knows Arabs and their problems.
2.
Many delegations of Palestine Arabs have come and are coming to him but not at his suggestion or that of Transjordan Government (Jerusalem’s 1451, November 2 to Department1) to request him take lead either in fighting or, failing that, making peace and said he did not wish open direct negotiations with Jews at this stage in view attitude other Arab states and fact that Palestine question being considered by UN. If he could “finish” with Egypt, Syria and Lebanon he would then be free to do what he considered best.
3.
Mentioned telegram from Sassoon and government’s reply (mytel 102, November 12) and said he understood food supplies were being permitted passage to Jewish police on Mt. Scopus. Did not seem concerned by Jerusalem situation and believed there was understanding between Jews and Arab Legion re Mt. Scopus. Reiterated his desire for peaceful settlement.

Department pass Jerusalem as 64.

Stabler
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Not printed; it reported that Elias Sassoon of the Israeli Delegation at Paris had sent a “hardly conciliatory” telegram in English to the TransJordanian Prime Minister on October 29. The telegram claimed that despite an agreement worked out under United Nations auspices, the Arab Legion was preventing food supplies from reaching the Jewish police on Mount Scopus and that the Jewish personnel there were nearing famine. The Transjordanian Government had replied on October 31 that the agreement remained in force and that the Arab Legion was under standing orders to observe it. Mr. Stabler observed that Mr. Sassoon’s message was the first open and direct communication by the Jews to Transjordanian authorities. (501.BB Palestine/11–148)↩