No Troops to Palestine, Says Truman, Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 15, 1948.

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (AP)—President Truman ruled out today any idea of the United States sending troops to enforce the partition of Palestine, independently of the United Nations.

He has no such intention, he told a news conference questioner. Then he added that probably in the long run there will be a United Nations police force to back up U. N. decisions.

To back them up in Palestine? he was asked. Not necessarily, Mr. Truman replied, but wherever it may be needed. All of us are working for an international police force to support the U. N., he said.

Possible inclusion of American troops in any force dispatched by the U. N. to Palestine or elsewhere was not mentioned in the President’s replies. The U. N. Charter provides for representation of U. N. members in the international police force which is still under discussion.

The President declined comment when asked about the reopening of an American air base in Tripoli.

At the State Department, it was learned that American diplomats abroad have been advised that United States policy is to leave to the United Nations the problem of enforcing the partition of Palestine.

A statement to this effect by Undersecretary Robert A. Lovett was distributed by the State Department to Embassies and Legations. It was cited by officials today when they were asked for comment on an Arab League announcement at Cairo that the league is advising Arab states to move troops into Palestine as soon as the British move out.

Lovett’s statement on this Government’s position was given in response to questions at a news conference yesterday. He said that-

1—The United States embargo on shipment of arms to Palestine and neighbor countries, imposed December 5, remains unrelaxed. The ban might be reconsidered if the United Nations so asked, he acknowledged, but advised reporters he would not speculate on such a possibility.

2—This Government is making no studies of the possibility of using American forces to enforce the United Nations Assembly’s decision to divide Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.

3—Discussions with Palestine authorities of the possible use of guards at the Consulate at Jerusalem were exploratory only. If guards are supplied they will be only a small number for protection of the Consulate and its personnel.