May 14, 1948 Truman and Marshall’s Ongoing Conflict over Palestine

“Where Israel should stand in the hierarchy of American national interests has been one of the hot-button issues of American foreign policy since Israel’s founding in 1948. The first big question was whether the United States should recognize Israel at the United Nations. The most memorable battle over this issue took place in front of President Harry Truman. The contenders were his young but formidable counsel, Clark Clifford, and Secretary of State George Marshall, the single most respected American foreign policy figure of his era.

CLIFFORD ARGUED FOR RECOGNITION ON MORAL AND HISTORICAL GROUNDS.  THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD HAD A MORAL OBLIGATION TO SUPPORT A JEWISH STATE BECAUSE EVERYONE HAD STOOD BY AND DONE NOTHING DURING THE HOLOCAUST.  MARSHALL RETORTED THAT RECOGNITION WOULD DISTORT AMERICA’S TRUE INTEREST IN THE ARAB WORLD, MAINLY SECURING OIL, TO GAIN JEWISH POLITICAL BACKING AT HOME. TO MARSHALL, A FEW MILLION JEWS IN THEIR OWN STATE AMID A SEA OF TES OF MILLIONS OF ARABS WOULD CAUSE NOTHING BUT GRIEF FOR AMERICA, AND IN THE END, THE ARABS WOULD DRIVE THE JEWS INTO THE SEA ANYWAY.  TRUMAN BACKED CLIFFORD, BUT THE BATTLE NEVER ENDED”

Source: New York Times September 23, 2007, Dual Loyalties by Leslie H. Gelb