Office of the Historian

501.BB Palestine/12–2648: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Delegation at Paris

secret   us urgent
niact
Washington, December 26, 1948—1 p. m.

4928. For Jessup.

1.
Brit Emb on instructions of FonOff today informed Dept that if facts of recent fighting in Negeb were confirmed by reports of UN Palestine Mediator, they would instruct their representative on SC to introduce a resolution reaffirming SC resolutions of Nov 4 and 16, calling on Council to consider possible action under Chapter 7, and fixing a time limit within which parties in Palestine fighting should comply with resolutions of Nov 4 and 16. Brit info thus far is based exclusively on representations made to Brit Amb Cairo by Haidar Pasha Egyptian Min of War.
2.
According to Haidar Pasha, he informed Gen Riley on Dec 20 that Egypt was prepared to negotiate armistice under Nov 16 Resolution on condition that Israel would fulfill requirements of Nov 4 Resolution. Egyptians tell Brit Amb that this position still holds good but insist on prompt compliance by Israel with Nov 4 requirement for troop withdrawal from Negeb to positions of Oct 14.
3.
Brit have requested Dept’s support of their proposed resolution as outlined in Para 1. We made following observations:
(a)
It seems futile to propose a resolution which seeks merely to [Page 1692] reaffirm resolutions already violated. SC has already reached point of diminishing returns in this respect.
(b)
We thought that Nov 4 and 16th resolutions provide sufficient machinery to deal with present situation, particulary Subcommittee established under Nov 4 SC order.
(c)
Most important of all, we felt that US position as member of Conciliation Commission would be gravely jeopardized if we should take line in support of proposed Brit action in SC. We pointed out that rightly or wrongly PGI believes that two members of Conciliation Com are not disposed to be friendly to Israel, since Turkey is a Mohammedan country and France did not vote for Israeli admission to UN in recent SC session. We think chances of US accomplishment as member of Conciliation Commission would be impaired if we played too prominent a role in Council at this juncture.
(d)
In consequence we will instruct you to abstain if Brit put down resolution described in Para 1, and to make no statement in Council meeting called to consider present alleged truce violations. After report of Mediator’s representatives has been studied we shall determine what course of action to follow.

Repeated to London for info as 4757.

Lovett