<pre>


Transjordan received compensations. It, was suggested Israelis with-
draw from area close to Road Latrun to Beitsira (MR 154144) or
withdraw from, Ummburj (MR 1471126) area andagree to Legion use
of road running north from -Beitjibrin. Israelis refused and said they
would not agree any compensation.
  Transjordan representatives at meeting, with whom I talked at
Shuneh, indicated atmosphere of meeting not friendly and that
Israelis had taken very strong line. They had impression that if agree-
ment not signed Israelis might take offensive action to make adjust-
ments demanded. (It. is understood Dayan told member Consulate
General Jerusalem on March 18 that if rectification not made by
agreement, Israel would make them anyway.)
  King indicated to me he felt that if he refused to sign agreement,
Israel would recommence hostilities and whole area might be lost. It
would in fact be better to sacrifice another fifteen villages with addi-
tional estimated 15,000 refugees than to lose what little left of Arab
Palestine. On other hand if he did sign agreement and then armistice
signed, it might be more difficult for Israelis to make further excessive
demands. He not entirely decided what his attitude would be and it
would depend on circumstances of tonight's meeting at Shuneh. If he
could be certain that US would take action prevent Israel from reopen-
ing hostilities, he would try postpone decision for another day or two
and endeavor negotiate more reasonable adjustments. However, in
absence this certainty, he felt he almost forced into signing agreement
tonight. We only wished it were possible to believe that Israel would
present no further demands.
  I offered no comment to HM beyond thanking him for keeping USG
informed of developments.
  Sent Department 126, repeated Baghdad 25, Beirut 22 for .USDel
PCC. Pouched Jerusalem..
                                  &quot;                       STABLER


501.BB Palestine/3-2349: Telegram
  The Charg6 in Transjordan (Stabler) to the Secretary of State
SECRET    :NIACT                  A)rNAN, March 23, 1949-7 p. m.

US URGENT
  127. Legtel 126, March 23. :Israeli demands and 24-hour ultimatum
re Iraqi front, both in themselves and in face expressedlattitude USG
toward extension armistice to this area and toward Transjordan tak-
ing responsibility therein, seem totally unreasonable and in nature of
blackmail. While King may feel himself forced to sign 'agreement


861,


ISRAEL

 
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