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3.
ORE 7-48
*NATIONAL
ARCHIVES AND
SECRET
RECORDS
:
SERVICE"
POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS IN PALESTINE
SUMMARY
It is apparent that the partition of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states
(and an international zone), with economic union between the two states, as recom-
mended by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 29 November 1947, can-
not be implemented. The Arab reaction to the recommendation has been violent, and
the Arab refusal to cooperate in any way with the five-nation United Nations Commis-
sion will prevent the formation of an Arab state and the organization of economic union.
The Arabs will use force to oppose the establishment of a Jewish state and to this end
are training troops in Palestine and other Arab states. Moreover, the United Kingdom
has stated repeatedly that it will take no part in implementing a UN decision not accept-
able to both Jews and Arabs. The British have also declared that when the mandate
terminates on 15 May, they will not transfer authority to the UN Commission but will
merely relinquish that authority, which would then be assumed by the UN. Thus,
without Arab and British cooperation, the Commission will be unable to carry out the
task assigned to it.
Even among the Jews there is dissatisfaction over the partition plan. Irgun Zvai
Leumi and the Stern Gang, the two extremist groups, have refused to accept the plan
and continue to claim all of Palestine (and even Transjordan) for the Jewish state.
The Jewish Agency, official representative of the Jewish community, had hoped to
obtain a larger portion of Palestine for the new state but has decided to cooperate with
the UN Commission. Recruiting and training for Hagana, the Agency's military arm,
have been increased, and the terrorist groups will join Hagana in the Arab fight despite
their opposition to partition. The Jewish effort, however, will not be sufficient to enable
the UN Commission to carry out partition as envisaged by the UNGA.
Since the complete partition plan cannot be implemented, the possible develop-
ments in Palestine resolve themselves into three main groups:
(1) UN attempts to set up a Jewish state by force.
Again, the UN would be balked by lack of Arab and British cooperation. While
the UN might attempt to set up an international police force (which would have to be
large and remain in Palestine indefinitely), the US and UK would have to consider the
danger of permitting Soviet and/or Satellite troops to enter Palestine, and the USSR
would undoubtedly object to any force not including these troops. It is possible that
the SC might consider authorizing unilateral aid to the Jews by the member states of
the UN, but such a course would be extremely dangerous to world peace. Since the
USSR would take advantage of the opportunity to increase its influence in Palestine by
Note: The information in this report is as of 18 February 1948, at which time the report was sub-
mitted to the member agencies of the Interdepartmental Advisory Council for coordination.
This paper was concurred in by the Intelligence Agencies of the Department of State, Army,
Navy, and Air Force on 19 February. On 20 February CIA disseminated an Advance Copy
of the coordinated report.
1
SECRET
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"ocrText": "3.\nORE 7-48\n*NATIONAL\nARCHIVES AND\nSECRET\nRECORDS\n:\nSERVICE\"\nPOSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS IN PALESTINE\nSUMMARY\nIt is apparent that the partition of Palestine into separate Arab and Jewish states\n(and an international zone), with economic union between the two states, as recom-\nmended by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 29 November 1947, can-\nnot be implemented. The Arab reaction to the recommendation has been violent, and\nthe Arab refusal to cooperate in any way with the five-nation United Nations Commis-\nsion will prevent the formation of an Arab state and the organization of economic union.\nThe Arabs will use force to oppose the establishment of a Jewish state and to this end\nare training troops in Palestine and other Arab states. Moreover, the United Kingdom\nhas stated repeatedly that it will take no part in implementing a UN decision not accept-\nable to both Jews and Arabs. The British have also declared that when the mandate\nterminates on 15 May, they will not transfer authority to the UN Commission but will\nmerely relinquish that authority, which would then be assumed by the UN. Thus,\nwithout Arab and British cooperation, the Commission will be unable to carry out the\ntask assigned to it.\nEven among the Jews there is dissatisfaction over the partition plan. Irgun Zvai\nLeumi and the Stern Gang, the two extremist groups, have refused to accept the plan\nand continue to claim all of Palestine (and even Transjordan) for the Jewish state.\nThe Jewish Agency, official representative of the Jewish community, had hoped to\nobtain a larger portion of Palestine for the new state but has decided to cooperate with\nthe UN Commission. Recruiting and training for Hagana, the Agency's military arm,\nhave been increased, and the terrorist groups will join Hagana in the Arab fight despite\ntheir opposition to partition. The Jewish effort, however, will not be sufficient to enable\nthe UN Commission to carry out partition as envisaged by the UNGA.\nSince the complete partition plan cannot be implemented, the possible develop-\nments in Palestine resolve themselves into three main groups:\n(1) UN attempts to set up a Jewish state by force.\nAgain, the UN would be balked by lack of Arab and British cooperation. While\nthe UN might attempt to set up an international police force (which would have to be\nlarge and remain in Palestine indefinitely), the US and UK would have to consider the\ndanger of permitting Soviet and/or Satellite troops to enter Palestine, and the USSR\nwould undoubtedly object to any force not including these troops. It is possible that\nthe SC might consider authorizing unilateral aid to the Jews by the member states of\nthe UN, but such a course would be extremely dangerous to world peace. Since the\nUSSR would take advantage of the opportunity to increase its influence in Palestine by\nNote: The information in this report is as of 18 February 1948, at which time the report was sub-\nmitted to the member agencies of the Interdepartmental Advisory Council for coordination.\nThis paper was concurred in by the Intelligence Agencies of the Department of State, Army,\nNavy, and Air Force on 19 February. On 20 February CIA disseminated an Advance Copy\nof the coordinated report.\n1\nSECRET"
}