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Volume 9 1948~1951

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No. 272 NAI DFA/5/305/81 I

Memorandum from Frederick H. Boland to Seán MacBride (Dublin)
'Recognition of Israel'

Dublin, 11 February 1949

  1. It is proposed that the Government should decide to recognise de facto the State of Israel. It is suggested that the decision should be announced by the Taoiseach tomorrow night at the dinner for the new Chief Rabbi of Ireland,1 and that a telegram should be despatched to Mr. Shertok, the Israeli Foreign Minister, tomorrow in the following terms:-

    'Referring to your Excellency's telegram of the 27th May last, I have the honour to inform your Excellency that the Government of Ireland has decided to recognise de facto the State of Israel.

    Seán MacBride,
    Minister for External Affairs.'2

  2. This proposal involves decision on two questions of principle, viz.,
    • whether our recognition should be of the Government of Israel or of the State of Israel; and
    • whether our recognition should be de jure or de facto.
  3. Of the Governments which have already granted de facto recognition, some accorded that recognition to the Israeli Government and others to the State of Israel. In the early stages of the Palestine struggle, it might have been appropriate to limit de facto recognition to the Government only. But, now that the State has been fairly well established and elections have been held, recognition limited to the Government would be a poor compliment and might be resented, rather than welcomed, by the Jews.
  4. The second question is whether recognition should be de facto or de jure. Seventeen countries (including the U.S.A., the U.S.S.R., all the countries of Eastern Europe and certain countries in South America) have recognised the Jewish State de jure. Thirteen or fourteen other countries (including Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand, France and Britain) have so far only recognised the State of Israel de facto. It is submitted that, in our case, recognition de facto would be sufficient for the moment. The main reason why France, Holland, Britain and other countries have not yet accorded de jure recognition is that they are waiting to see what provision the new State makes to give effect to the recommendations of the United Nations about respect for foreign rights and the international control of the Holy Places. As public opinion here would probably expect this country to be not less zealous in endeavouring to secure proper provision for the future of the Holy Places than the other countries mentioned, the grant of de jure recognition by the Irish Government, at this stage, might possibly invite attack and criticism. Great stress was laid on the importance of international control of the Holy Places in the Pope's Christmas message.
  5. The Minister in Washington is seeing the Israeli Ambassador3 and inviting an expression of his Government's intentions as regards the Holy Places. The High Commissioner will do the same when he sees the Israeli Minister in London4 this afternoon. It is submitted, however, that, in view of the fact that Israel has already been recognised by thirty-two or more States, recognition might appropriately be accorded at once by the Irish Government, if it is only de facto.

1 Immanuel Jakobovits (later Baron Jakobovits) (1921-99), Chief Rabbi of Ireland(1949-58).

2 This telegram was sent to Shertok on 12 February 1949.

3 Eliahu (Epstein) Elath.

4 Mordechai Ali'ash, Ambassador of Israel to London (1949-50).

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