Office of the Historian

501.BB Palestine/12–3048: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Special Representative of the United States in Israel (McDonald)

top secret   us urgent
niact
Washington, December 30, 1948—5 p. m.

281. President directs that you make following immediate representation to Shertok and Ben Gurion. You are authorized in your discretion to make same representation to President Weizmann. Please telegraph immediate report of your interviews.

1.
This Govt is most deeply disturbed on receipt of apparently authentic reports confirming that Egyptian territory has been invaded by armed forces of Israel. Reports indicate that this is not an accidental maneuver but a deliberately planned military operation.
2.
British Govt has officially notified this Govt that it regards situation with grave concern and that unless Israeli forces withdraw from Egyptian territory British Govt will be bound to take steps to fulfill their obligations under Treaty of 1936 with Egypt. However, British Govt states it has no desire to get into conflict with Govt of Israel provided latter accept decisions of Security Council of UN and act upon them.
3.
As first govt to recognize PGI and as a sponsor of Israel’s application for admission to UN as a “peace-loving state” this Govt, with deep concern and as evidence of its consistent friendship for Israel, desires to draw attention of Israeli Govt to grave possibility that by ill-advised action PGI may not only jeopardize peace of Middle East but would also cause reconsideration of its application for membership in UN and of necessity a reconsideration by this Govt of its relations with Israel. As PGI knows, their assurances of peaceful intent have been basis upon which our policy toward Israel has rested.
4.
Immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Egyptian territory appears to be minimum requirement giving proof of peaceful intent of PGI, if enlarged conflict is to be avoided.
5.
This Govt has received reports from its representative in Transjordan indicating that PGI has informed Govt of Transjordan that time for negotiations for an armistice has passed. PGI is represented as stating that it is interested now only in negotiating peace, but indicated that it must be either peace or war. If this threatening attitude should be confirmed, again this Govt would have no other course than to undertake a substantial review of its attitude toward Israel.
6.
You may conclude by stating that temporarily your Govt is withholding press comment pending a complete statement from PGI in answer to the foregoing representation.

Repeated to Amembassy, London as 4819.

Lovett