March 9, 1948 Peace Project for Jerusalem

Philip Graves told the Chief Secretary, Sir Henry Gurney:

“I have the honour to inform you that I have handed copies of my peace Project for Jerusalem as amended by you, and with a few minor additions, to Dr. Husssein Khalidi, Secretary of the Arab Higher Committee, and Mr. David Ben Gurion, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Jewish Agency for Palestine.

“Dr. Khalidid was very polite and thanked me for my initiative, promising to submit the project to his Executive. He has now sent me a letter, of which I enclose a copy, stating that he and the higher Executive consider that the arrangements contemplated are premature at the present state.

I saw Mr. Ben Gurion yesterday and discussed the project which had been in his hands for a few days.

Variety of the clauses, and would not accept the proposal that the Jews of the Old City should be guaranteed by the Arabs after the withdrawal of the Hagnah which he said was insulting to Jewry, and considered that the proposed restriction of Jews to Jewish areas and Arabs to Arab areas was undesirable and offensive to both Communities.

However, he said that he and the Yishuv were very anxious for the peace of Jerusalem and were prepared to undertake that not a shot would be fired by any Jew in the City for a specified agreed Period a week, a month or a year if the Arabs would make and observe a similar undertaking. When I mentioned that he might have some difficulty in making Jewish dissidents comply with such an undertaking he said that he would be able to do so .

I Promised to convey his views to the Arab Higher Executive.”

Source: The Nation Weekly