Memorandum from Secretary of State George Marshall to President Harry S. Truman, with Attachments

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SECORD E. Dept. O. Sec. ³(E) and DECLASSIFIED By NLT. State letter, 5(D) ör of (E) THE SECRETARY OF STATE WASHINGTON -44 NARS Date 4.26.15 4973 September 8, 1948 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT Subject: The President's Press Conference on September 9, 1948 - De jure Recognition of Israel Reference is made to my secret memorandum of August 30, 1948, relating to the de jure recognition of the Governments of Israel and Transjordan. For your background guidance, I am attaching press clippings relating to my press conference on September 8 at which I was questioned concerning the extension of de jure recognition to Israel by the United States. I became committed to a reply of the nature made by me because of my ill-advised use of the expression that the de jure recognition was "a matter of timing". If you are also questioned on this subject, it is suggested that the press correspondents be informed that the question of de jure recognition of Israel will not be finally decided until a recommendation is received from the State Department. It might also be stated that a recommendation is not expected from the State Department until elections have been held in Israel, now scheduled to take place about October 1. Attachments: 2 press clippings relating to September 8th press conference SECRET I