British-Israel Relations: Foreign Office Objects to Israel Asserting Claims to Jerusalem and Worries About Impact on Jordan

Foreign Office Objects to Israel Asserting Claims to Jerusalem and Worries About Impact on Jordan

CONCLUSIONS of a Meeting of the Cabinet held at 10 Downing Street, S.W.I,
on Thursday, 5th July, 1956, at 10-30 a.m.

The Foreign Secretary said that Israel was now attempting in an unduly aggressive manner to assert her claims in the Jerusalem area and relations between Israel and Jordan had reached a potentially explosive point. The situation had been thought serious enough for the Permanent Under-Secretary, Foreign Office to see the Israeli Ambassador in London on the previous day and to remind him of the existence of the Anglo-Jordan Treaty and of the provisions in the Treaty which would come into effect if there were a definite act of aggression against Jordan.

The Minister of Defence said that, notwithstanding this situation, the Chief of Staff of the Arab Legion had been reported as saying that there could be no question of use being made of British troops if fighting were to take place. Arrangements had been made to withdraw British subjects from Amman at short notice should the situation there deteriorate

 

Sources:British Archives: CAB/128/30/271