Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

DEPARTMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON April 30, 1948 It m SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS British Foreign Minister Bevin, after assuring Ambassador Douglas that the UK would use "all influence possible" to deter King Abdullah from moving Transjordan forces into Palestine, sent messages to Transjordan, Syria, Egypt and Iraq urging that no aggressive action be taken by the Arabs. Replies to this message indicate that the Arab governments will not engage in offensive military operations provided the Jews desist from "provocative attacks and aggressive action" against the Arabs. Several of the replies, however, suggest that the Jews are everywhere on the offen- sive and that it would be #difficult" for the Arabs to refrain from "retaliatory action". Commenting along the same lines our Ambassador in Baghdad reports that fanaticism is generally in the saddle throughout the Arab world, that political leaders must satisfy a surging popular demand for direct action if they are to stay in power, and that in Iraq at least the feeling is strong that the Arabs are now merely taking necessary measures of self-defense against Jewish extremism. that the Jewish Agency is afraid the US will attempt impose The British High Commissioner in Palestine has to reported a trusteeship and has therefore determined that the only solution is to establish a Jewish state in Palestine and launch an all-out mili- tary campaign in its defense. He finds that the internal machinery of the Jewish state is now almost completely organized and includes defense regulations more drastic than anything we have ever had. In some case measures of discipline have reached "medieval standards". On the question of a Palestine truce, the British have agreed to bring all their influence on the Arabs to accept a truce "if the terms are reasonable", though Bevin feels that only the US can per- suade the Jews to accept a truce. Meanwhile our delegation in New DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guideline, June 12, 1979 By NLT- HC NARS, Date 11-13-to