Office of the Historian

501.BB Palestine/1–149: Telegram

The Special Representative of the United States in Israel (McDonald) to the Secretary of State

top secret
Tel Aviv, January 1, 1949—9 a. m.

us urgent

niact

1.
For attention President and Acting Secretary.2 ReDeptel 281, December 30 and Mistel’s 350, 351, December 31.3 Returned from Tiberias 3:15 a. m. Had two hours with Ben Gurion.4 Knox5 present. I read Ben Gurion the same paraphrase I read Shertok.6 After considerable deliberation he replied as follows: (paragraph references are to Department’s 281).
1.
“We have not invaded Egyptian territory nor do we have any intention of doing so. It is true some Israel Forces had to cross frontier into Egypt in course of tactical operations but they have already received orders to return to the Negev frontier.”
2.
As regards British notification to US Government he said, “in note Great Britain threatens to take action against us under 1936 Treaty with Egypt and unless we obey the decisions of the SC. In this latter connection I am confused and surprised. Great Britain is a member of the SC with which we are dealing directly and cordially. Does Great Britain plan to take independent action to enforce decisions of SC?
3.
“We are very grateful for the friendship of the US and value it. I note the italics on the phrase ‘peace-loving’ and am distressed. We are indeed peace-loving and have consistently shown it. We are last people in the world to want to break the peace in Middle East or elsewhere. [Page 595] We are a very small people and we can survive only in peace. What we are doing is in self-defense. We have been attacked. We must reserve our right to defend ourselves even if we go down fighting. I believe the American Government and people will recognize this right. We accepted the UN request for an armistice and peace. Egypt rejected it.”
4.
Orders for the withdrawal of the Israel units have already been given.
5.
“The reports communicated to your government about our negotiations with Trans Jordan are untrue and astonishing. Israel is now in the act of negotiating an armistice with Transjordan and is on the best terms with that government. There have been no threats on either side. We have met on very friendly terms and our next meeting is set for January 5.”

Prime Minister then commented “I am pained by the severe tone of this communication which might have been written by Bevin7 himself”. He then stated that a formal written reply would be prepared immediately after Cabinet meeting on Sunday.

He concluded by speaking of peace, negotiations with Lebanon which he said were also progressing encouragingly.

McDonald
  1. Robert A. Lovett.↩
  2. For Nos. 281 and 350, see Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. v, Part 2, pp. 1704 and 1705; No. 351 is not printed, but see footnote 1, ibid., p. 1706.↩
  3. David Ben-Gurion, Israeli Prime Minister.↩
  4. Charles F. Knox, Jr., Counselor of Mission at Tel Aviv.↩
  5. Moshe Shertok, Israeli Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩
  6. Ernest Bevin, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩