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M ay 1948 in Jerusalem, through
American eyes
R eports dispatched by the American consul in Jerusalem prior to and
immediately after the establishment of the state, to the State Department
in Washington, indicate what the Americans knew and what they did not
know, as well as what was going on among the Jews, the Arabs, and the
British. The texts are cited from the relevant volumes of FRUS (Foreign
Relations of the United States), with minor amendments to render its
abbreviated text more easily readable.
Mordecai Naor
On May 13, 1948, at 2pm, just a little more than a day before the State of Israel was
founded, the American Secretary of State, George Marshall, sent the following assessment
to the heads of the diplomatic missions in London, the Arab capitals, and Jerusalem:
"Internal weaknesses in various Arab countries make it difficult for them to act in
Palestine. The whole government structure Iraq is engendered by political and economic
disorders and the Iraqi government cannot at this moment afford to send more than
the handful of troops it has already dispatched. Egypt has suffered recently from strikes
and disorders. Its army has insufficient equipment because of its refusal of British aid,
and what it has is needed for police duty at home. Syria has neither arms nor an army
worthy of its name, and has not been able to organize one since the French left three
years ago. Lebanon has no real army, while Saudi Arabia has a small army which is
barely sufficient to keep the tribes in order. Jealousies between the Saudi Arabs and the
Syrians, on one hand, and the Hashemite governments of Transjordan and Iraq, prevent
the Arabs even from making optimal use of existing forces. Without British officers,
the Transjordanian army will not make as good a showing as it would otherwise, since
the organization of the army depends on British officers in key positions. This does not
mean, however, that over a long period a Jewish State can survive as a self-sufficient
entity in the face of the hostility of the Arab world. If the Jews follow the counsel of
their extremists, who favor a contemptuous policy toward the Arabs, any Jewish State
to be set up will be able to survive only with continuous assistance from abroad."
T he assessments of Secretary of State Marshall were disproved within less than two
days. The armies of the supposedly weak Arab countries invaded Israel on May 15
from all sides. His decidedly pessimistic view of the new state's ability to stand strong
216 The Friday That Changed Destiny
American eyes
R eports dispatched by the American consul in Jerusalem prior to and
immediately after the establishment of the state, to the State Department
in Washington, indicate what the Americans knew and what they did not
know, as well as what was going on among the Jews, the Arabs, and the
British. The texts are cited from the relevant volumes of FRUS (Foreign
Relations of the United States), with minor amendments to render its
abbreviated text more easily readable.
Mordecai Naor
On May 13, 1948, at 2pm, just a little more than a day before the State of Israel was
founded, the American Secretary of State, George Marshall, sent the following assessment
to the heads of the diplomatic missions in London, the Arab capitals, and Jerusalem:
"Internal weaknesses in various Arab countries make it difficult for them to act in
Palestine. The whole government structure Iraq is engendered by political and economic
disorders and the Iraqi government cannot at this moment afford to send more than
the handful of troops it has already dispatched. Egypt has suffered recently from strikes
and disorders. Its army has insufficient equipment because of its refusal of British aid,
and what it has is needed for police duty at home. Syria has neither arms nor an army
worthy of its name, and has not been able to organize one since the French left three
years ago. Lebanon has no real army, while Saudi Arabia has a small army which is
barely sufficient to keep the tribes in order. Jealousies between the Saudi Arabs and the
Syrians, on one hand, and the Hashemite governments of Transjordan and Iraq, prevent
the Arabs even from making optimal use of existing forces. Without British officers,
the Transjordanian army will not make as good a showing as it would otherwise, since
the organization of the army depends on British officers in key positions. This does not
mean, however, that over a long period a Jewish State can survive as a self-sufficient
entity in the face of the hostility of the Arab world. If the Jews follow the counsel of
their extremists, who favor a contemptuous policy toward the Arabs, any Jewish State
to be set up will be able to survive only with continuous assistance from abroad."
T he assessments of Secretary of State Marshall were disproved within less than two
days. The armies of the supposedly weak Arab countries invaded Israel on May 15
from all sides. His decidedly pessimistic view of the new state's ability to stand strong
216 The Friday That Changed Destiny
