501.BB Palestine/4–2548: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
502. For Lovett from Rusk. Following two talks with Proskauer1 and two talks with Fawzi Bey, I have drawn as a purely personal document the following draft articles of truce for Palestine in an effort to find some basis for agreement between Jews and Arabs on a truce. These articles envisage the possibility that we may get a truce without getting any further arrangements for government on May 15, hence they provide certain minimum responsibilities for orderly public line under the general supervision of the SC Truce Commission. Obviously, if our trusteeship proposals succeed or if some other arrangements are adopted, they could be quickly fitted into truce arrangement.
On the procedural side, it has been emphasized both to Proskauer and Fawzi Bey that these suggestions have no official standing whatever and are an attempt to ascertain a basis on which some go-between such as Entezam or Padilla Nervo2 might bring the parties together. If these articles become public they should be disclaimed and should be considered as one of several efforts being made by private persons to find some agreement.
Both Proskauer and Fawzi Bey have been sufficiently receptive to encourage a further effort along these lines. For example, Fawzi Bey now has permission from Cairo (which he says must mean the Arab League as well) to sit down with a go-between and Jewish representatives for an informal talk not involving a commitment on his part.
Since both Jews and Arabs may be commenting further on these draft articles, any comments which Department may have will be welcome. One eventual use of such articles might be a public demonstration of the efforts which have been made to obtain a truce along reasonable lines in the event that one or both parties prove completely intransigent and we face inevitable large-scale fighting on May 15. Some consideration might be given to a statement by the Secretary at the appropriate timing [sic] which might disclose such intransigence, [Page 859] set forth the reasonable basis for such truce proposals and mobilize public opinion in support of a truce, or at least prepare public opinion for the increased fighting which we will not have been able to avert.
Text of articles of truce for Palestine now follows:
[Here follow the 15 articles which formed the basis for the Informal Truce Proposals for Palestine, printed on page 866.]
- [Rusk]
- Austin