867N.01/3–2349
President Truman to King Abdullah Ibn el-Hussein of Transjordan1
us urgent
His Majesty King Abdullah Ibn el Hussein: I have received Your Majesty’s message of March 25 concerning the situation affecting the Iraqi front in Palestine. I agree with Your Majesty that the replacement of Iraqi troops by forces of Transjordan would be a move in favor of peace, and that the cease-fire and armistice between Israel and Transjordan should be extended to the Iraqi front.
With regard to the Israeli request for a modification of the present front between the Iraqi forces and those of Israel, I desire to recall to [Page 879] Your Majesty that the policy of the United States Government as regards a final territorial settlement in Palestine and as stated in the General Assembly on Nov 30, 1948 by Dr. Philip Jessup, the American representative, is that Israel is entitled to the territory allotted to her by the General Assembly Resolution of November 29, 1947, but that of Israel desires additions, i.e., territory allotted to the Arabs by the November 29 Resolution, it should offer territorial compensation.
I understand that one of the provisions of the secret agreement which has been initialled by Your Majesty’s representatives is that the agreement “shall not in any way prejudice an ultimate political settlement between the parties”. Your Majesty may be assured that the United States Government, as a member of the Palestine Conciliation Commission, will regard any attempt at a major breach of the provisions of the secret agreement between Transjordan and Israel as a serious obstacle to the progress being made toward peace in Palestine, and that the United States Government would be prepared to make strong representations against such action to the party attempting it.
I send Your Majesty my best and most cordial wishes.2
- Transmitted to
Amman in telegram 38, March 28, 6 p. m., with the instruction:
“Pls convey following message from President to King (ur 132
March 25).”
Mr. Rusk, in a memorandum of March 28 to the Secretary, had discussed King Abdullah’s message and had recommended that he discuss the matter with the President and obtain his approval for sending a proposed reply. The memorandum, which was drafted by Mr. Rockwell, noted that “Transjordan, by signing the agreement, might thus be afforded some measure of protection against further Israeli territorial demands.” The Department’s draft reply was cleared with Matthew J. Connelly, Secretary to the President.
↩ - The President’s message was delivered to King Abdullah at 3 p. m., March 29. The latter expressed to Chargé Stabler his “Thought that now no other course of action left open but to accept Israel’s demands.” (Telegram 137, March 29, 5 p. m., from Amman, 867N.01/3–2949)↩