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FROM THE REFERENCE OF THE MIDDLE EAST DEPARTMENT OF THE USSR MFA "THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION AFTER THE UN DECISION ON THE PARTITION OF PALESTINE AND THE END OF THE ENGLISH MANDATE  (NOVEMBER 29, 1947 - JULY 20, 1948) "

July 22, 1948

Secret

[...] The Soviet Union is the only great power taking a principled position on the Palestinian issue. Soviet representatives in the Security Council have consistently defended the General Assembly resolution on the partition of Palestine of November 29, 1947.

In response to M. Shertok's telegram comrade Molotov, in his telegram of May 18, said that "The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has made a decision on the official recognition of the State of Israel and its Provisional Government,".

When the war in Palestine became a fact, the Soviet representatives on the Security Council worked hard to bring about an end to hostilities. On May 27, the Soviet delegation presented a draft resolution demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities, taking into account the fact that “the situation in Palestine poses a threat to peace and security in accordance with Article 39 of the Charter,”. Soviet representatives objected and are opposed to giving Bernadotte 5 broad powers, which he uses to revise the UN decision of November 29, 1947.

June 7 Comrade Gromyko raised the question of the method of recruiting military observers for the armistice, since it was not reflected in the armistice resolution of May 29, 1948.

June 15 Comrade Gromyko raised the issue of military observers again and proposed a draft resolution stating that “military observers should be appointed by member states of the Security Council wishing to participate in the appointment of such observers, with the exception of Syria,”.

The Soviet resolution was rejected.

On July 13, the US representative introduced a resolution to end hostilities in Palestine under threat of sanctions. During the discussion, its Soviet representatives supported the proposal for a cessation of hostilities, but objected to the clauses concerning the "demilitarization" of Jerusalem and the broad rights granted to the UN mediator, since these clauses enable Britain and the United States to continue to conduct behind the scenes machinations aimed at disrupting the UN resolution of November 29, 1947, using the "intermediary," the UN. This is evident from the fact that before leaving the United States on July 16 this year. Bernadotte frankly stated that the plan for the partition of Palestine, adopted by the UN on November 29, could be revised in order to resolve the Palestinian problem.

In this regard, on July 15, during the final voting of the resolution, the Soviet representatives as a whole abstained from voting.

Considering that the United States and England, apparently, agreed among themselves on the further fate of Palestine, which was reflected in the proposals of the UN mediator Bernadotte, who recommended leaving in Palestine the "curtailed" state of Israel in its sovereign rights, bound by foreign policy and issues defense with Transjordan, 2 the position of the USSR should be to defend the decision of the General Assembly of November 29, 1947 on the partition of Palestine and the formation of Jewish and Arab states in Palestine. At the same time, it is necessary to decisively reject any proposal to expand Transjordan at the expense of Palestine, which to a certain extent will be supported by some Arab states (for example, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt).

Broad criticism of the British plan to expand the territory of Transjordan at the expense of Palestine will cause a certain split among the Arab states, which will facilitate the defense of the UN decision to partition Palestine.

I. Bakulin

WUA RF. F. 07. Op. 21c. P. 49.D. 39.L. 22-23.