Office of the Historian

146. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Minister of the Israeli Embassy (Shiloah) and the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (Rountree), Department of State, Washington, February 25, 19571

Washington, February 25, 1957

SUBJECT

  • Israel Withdrawal

Mr. Shiloah wished to report on what his Embassy had done since Ambassador Eban’s conversation with the Secretary on the previous day. An extensive report had been sent to the Government of Israel. The Israelis had prepared a working paper which summarized Mr. Eban’s queries to the Secretary and the Secretary’s comments. Mr. Shiloah handed several copies to Mr. Rountree emphasizing that the [Page 271] paper had no status as a document.2 Mr. Shiloah added that bad flying weather had caused a brief postponement of Mr. Eban’s appointment with the United Nations Secretary General.

Mr. Shiloah repeated some of the substantive arguments put forth by Ambassador Eban on the previous day, emphasizing the need of some kind of formal action by the United Nations which would make it clear that the Egyptians would not return to Gaza. He felt that Israel had erred in presenting Gaza as a prize to be gained. Administration of the Strip would be a very difficult responsibility for Israel which he thought the United States should be urging on the Israelis, rather than vice versa. In any event, Israel had stopped insisting on an Israel civil administration in Gaza.

Mr. Shiloah urged at some length United States initiative in obtaining a further forty-eight hour postponement of debate in the UNGA. He said that the prospect of sanctions was like a pistol held at Israel’s temple and that such an atmosphere was not conducive to further constructive progress. Mr. Rountree agreed that postponement of debate would be useful and said he hoped that Ambassador Eban could persuade the Secretary General to use his influence to bring about a postponement. He would pass on the Israel request to the Secretary and keep Mr. Shiloah informed of developments.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A.2–2557. Confidential. Drafted on February 26 by Bergus.↩
  2. See footnote 1, Document 143, and footnote 2, infra.↩