501.BB Palestine/6–1948: Telegram
The Chargé in Egypt (Patterson) to the Secretary of State
805. In conversation today Nokrashy Pasha emphasized to me that Arab group which is accompanying Bernadotte to Rhodes is designed primarily as a group of experts to inform the UN Mediator in response to any requests for information which he may address to the members of the group. They will however act as transmitting agents for any data which Bernadotte may care to forward to the states members of the Arab League. Nokrashy Pasha expected Bernadotte’s proposals for the basis of a Palestine truce to reach Cairo on June 25.
The Prime Minister expressed great indignation over alleged Zionist violations of the current truce stating that they had seized a number of villages in the Negev, southern or Egyptian sector of Palestine. These acts had not been irresponsible or isolated occurrences but showed on the map a development of a strategic plan. The Egyptians had been instructed to refrain from endeavoring to regain the lost villages or to take reprisals against the Zionist aggressors.