501.BB Palestine/7–2848: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consulate General at Jerusalem
778. You are instructed immediately to approach Count Bernadotte in person and to discuss with him his request for the assignment of a battalion of the US Marine Corps as a guard force for the policing of the Mt. Scopus area of Jerusalem.1 It is hoped that you will be able to arrange a meeting with Count Bernadotte in Jerusalem or elsewhere in Palestine. If Count Bernadotte has returned to Rhodes and does not plan to visit Palestine for several days, cable Dept. in advance and authorization will be given you to proceed to Rhodes.
You are instructed to discuss question of Marine Corps guard force along following lines:
“We have given most careful consideration to your telegram July 20 and to recent reports from Admiral Sherman2 of his subsequent conversations with you on July 23 with regard to your request for the temporary assignment of a battalion of the US Marine Corps as a guard force for the policing of the Mt. Scopus area of Jerusalem.
We regret that we are unable to accept a military commitment of this nature in Jerusalem. We are compelled to adhere to the position which we took with the Secretary-General on this point and which Dr. Jessup discussed with you prior to your recent departure from Lake Success.
We suggest for your earnest consideration the possibility of a plan for policing Jerusalem which would enlist the active cooperation and participation of Arab and Jewish authorities and armed forces. Responsibility for carrying out the SC resolution of July 15 rests primarily upon the Arabs and Jews who should be able to undertake the policing of the City without employing the services of UN personnel in other than an observing capacity. Although we have not consulted either the Arabs or the Jews on this point, there is some reason to believe that arrangements could be found which would be acceptable to Jewish authorities. You are, of course, in a better position to ascertain whether that is the case.”
In discussing foregoing with Count Bernadotte you might point out that Arab-Jewish cooperation in policing of Jerusalem might be effected through employment of former Arab and Jewish units of civilian police or, if such units are dispersed and cannot quickly be collected, through employment of well-disciplined units of Israeli and Arab forces serving as military police pending the establishment and expansion of civilian units.3
- See unnumbered telegram of July 20, p. 1231.↩
- Vice Adm. Forrest P. Sherman, Commander of the Sixth Task Fleet of the United States Navy, operating in the Mediterranean area.↩
- This telegram was repeated to London and New York. Consul General Macdonald, on July 29, advised the Department that at Count Bernadotte’s invitation, he was proceeding to Rhodes the following day on a United Nations plane to discuss the matter (telegram 1139 from Jerusalem, 501.BB Palestihe/7–2948).↩