501.BB Palestine/7–2548: Telegram
Mr. Wells Stabler to the Secretary of State
20. During conversation with King this morning he said he thought any final settlement Palestine problem would have be imposed on [Page 1238] both parties by Security Council. Asked whether he believed Arabs would accept such settlement he replied emphatically in affirmative. He did not feel actual force would be required as adequate number observers with planes and ships at their disposal could carry out task.
He said Transjordan ready proceed with demilitarization of Jerusalem [and] to withdraw Arab Legion.
Re territorial readjustments in Palestine settlement, King commented that Arabs and Jews could not share Palestine and it would be necessary have separate Jewish and Arab areas. Arab areas of Palestine should be attached to Transjordan (mytel 6, July 131) and these areas should also include Negeb, Jaffa and parts of Western Galilee. Felt that shifts of population should take place to eliminate minority problems. Asked whether Egypt and Saudi Arabia would agree such territorial changes King said former would raise no objection while in case of latter he and Ibn Saud in complete harmony. Re other Arab states indicated that Hashemite Federation could overcome any objections.
Be reports that Iraq had announced it would continue fight King said Transjordan and all Arab states wished continue war. However, he realized that for various reasons Arabs could not afford continue war and had persuaded other Arab states agree to truce.
King made usual uncomplimentary remarks about Arab League and also referred to his Greater Syria scheme2 as the one hope of Arabs. He seemed in very good spirits and it is believed present cessation of hostilities in addition to possible prospect of large kingdom agree with him.
Department please pass Jerusalem as 12.
- Not printed.↩
- For previous documentation on this subject, see Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. v, pp. 738 ff.↩