U.S. Considers Transfer of Israel’s Foreign Ministry “inopportune”

Secretary of State John Foster Dulles told a press conference today that the United States “regrets” that the Israel Government has seen fit to move its Foreign Ministry from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The United States, said Mr. Dulles, feels this particular action by Israel at the present time to be “inopportune” and believes it would add to rather than relax the tensions in the Near Eastern area. As a consequence of the Israel Foreign Ministry move, he said, other nations share America’s concern over goodwill and peace “in that part of the world.”

Mr. Dulles told reporters that the United States made known its opinion on this particular question on two prior occasions–July, 1952, and March, 1953. He said the American Ambassador to Israel on these occasions, “hearing rumors” about plans to transfer the Foreign Ministry, had called on the Israel Government and requested that it refrain from such a move.

The United States regrets Israel’s action because it would “embarrass” the United Nations which has the primary responsibility for determining the future status of Jerusalem, Secretary Dulles said. He recalled what he described as a standing U.N. resolution that provides to a large extent for the treatment of Jerusalem as an international city.

DULLES’ REMARKS PUZZLE ISRAEL CIRCLES IN WASHINGTON

Israel circles here were puzzled by Secretary Dulles’ statement that the U. S. Ambassador to Tel Aviv acted as a result of “rumors.” They pointed out that Israel’s Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett announced in the Knesset on January 30, 1951, that the transfer of the Foreign Ministry to Jerusalem was not an issue of principle but only a technical matter since the Foreign Ministry would be moved in due course together with other ministries.

Israel circles here drew attention to the fact that on May 4, 1952, the Israel Government made known officially that accommodations were under construction in Jerusalem for the Foreign Ministry and that the movement would take place as soon as the installations were completed. The Government started moving all its ministries to Jerusalem on December 22, 1949. Even earlier than this date the Supreme Court took up quarters in Jerusalem. Since that time the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset and all ministries, save the Foreign Ministry, had moved.

The Israel Government always made clear its agreement to international supervision of the Holy Places of Jerusalem. This willingness was re-affirmed by Foreign Minister Sharett in a statement on June 17, 1953, Israelis here pointed out in comittenting on Mr. Dulles’ statement.