Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, Volume V, Part 2

867N.01/1–1648: Telegram

The Consul General at Jerusalem ( Macatee ) to the Secretary of State

secret

Jerusalem , January 16, 1948—6 p. m.

62. Emile Ghory of AHE, just returned from Cairo meeting with Mufti, informed official ConGen following:

1. General national administration for whole Palestine will be established by Arabs on day British terminate mandate. Administration now being organized on basis Cairo press communique 5 January.

2. Believes Abdullah¹ regardless private thoughts must accept Palestine Arab administration although admits possibility various parts Palestine may be annexed to bordering states. The line is that unimportant who takes over Palestine provided Palestine remains Arab. Preference is for unified Palestine state.

[Here follow Mr. Ghory’s further thoughts, including the observations that Arab attacks on Jewish settlements were “for demonstration, training and probing purposes” and that “Arms arriving increasing rate and young Arabs undergoing rigid training.”]

Macatee

1. King of Transjordan.