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Sat, Nov 27, 2010 | Edited by Crethi Plethi

Handwriting of the President; Harry S. Truman Presidential Library, Independence, MO

United States Recognition of the State of Israel, 1948

At midnight on May 14, 1948, the Provisional Government of Israel proclaimed the new State of Israel. On that same date, 11 minutes later, the United States, in the person of President Truman, announced its recognition of the provisional Jewish government as de facto authority of the Jewish state (de jure recognition was extended on January 31, 1949).

At a White House meeting on May 12, 1948, Secretary of State George Marshall, had advised against a quick recognition of the new Jewish State. The U.S. delegates to the U.N. and top-ranking State Department officials were angered that Truman released his recognition statement to the press without notifying them first.

U.S. President Harry Truman expressed his sympathy for Zionism as early as 1939 and favored a Jewish Homeland in Palestine. Truman acted on his personal, moral and sentimental grounds, many of which were based on his religious upbringing and his knowledge of the Bible and decided accordingly without being influenced by American Jewish votes or the U.S. need and interest in Arab oil.

On May 15, 1948, the first day of Israeli Independence, Arab armies invaded Israel and the first Arab-Israeli war began.

Handwritten Letter of Recognition by President Harry Truman:

“This Government has been informed that a Jewish State has been proclaimed in Palestine, and recognition has been requested by the Provisional Government thereof.

The United States recognizes the Provisional Government as the de facto authority of the new State of Israel.”

(sgd.) Harry Truman

Approved, may 14, 1948

U.S. State Department Telegram to Diplomats and Consulates on the recognition of the de facto authority of the State of Israel:

Department of State

Washington

May 14, 1948

US Urgent

To

CERTAIN AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR OFFICERS

NIACT

For your secret info and for such precautions as you

may consider it necessary to take this Govt may within next

few hours recognize provisional Jewish govt as the de facto

authority of new Jewish state.

Send to following posts:

MISSIONS

Cairo
Jidda
Baghdad
Basra
Beirut
Damascus

CONSULATES

Alexandria
Port Said
Dhahran
Jerusalem
Haifa
Aden

State Department Telegram to Diplomats and Consulates (Record Group 59; Records of the Department of State; National Archives and Records Administration)