U.S. Doubts U.N. Will Make Armed Attempt to Force Internationalization of Jerusalem

The United States is not satisfied with Israel’s action on the Jerusalem issue but it seems very doubtful if there will be an armed attempt to force internationalization, it was indicated here during the week-end. High diplomatic sources said here that while the U.S. will cooperate with the U.N. Trusteeship Council, the State Department actually believes the only real solution will be found in negotiations and compromise.

It has been suggested within the Department that a United Nations guard force may be used to protect the holy shrines. However, any armed attempt to force internationalization is precluded by the lack of an adequate U.N. force. The State Department view is that the internationalization statute cannot be implemented without the consent of Transjordan and Israel. Therefore, in the unique position of a minority, the U.S. representative on the Trusteeship Council will cooperate, but with little expectation of concrete results. Since it was a resolution of the majority of the Assembly, the U.S. feels it must go along, too.

Meanwhile, the Department is awaiting final word from Ambassador James McDonald in Tel Aviv as to whether Jerusalem or Tel Aviv is actually the capital of Israel in the juridical sense. When Aubrey Eban called on Dean Rusk, deputy Undersecretary of State on the same day that Premier David Ben Gurion announced the move, Mr. Eban told Mr. Rusk the capital was not being transferred juridically.