151. Letter From the Israeli Ambassador (Harman) to the Secretary of State1
Dear Mr. Secretary: I have the honor to transmit to you the following message from Prime Minister Ben-Gurion concerning Israel’s defense problem:
“I have studied with great care your Note of May 23, 1960 to Ambassador Harman. I well recall our conversation in your home on March 13. As I wrote you a few days later I came away from the meeting greatly encouraged by what I had heard from you.
“From your Note I can see that the matters which I raised have been given study and consideration and I am most grateful for this and for your offer to supply us with electronic equipment.
“I am glad to hear that our Military Attaché in Washington is to receive further data relating to the various items which you have kindly offered to supply us. In the light of this information we shall complete our appraisal of the effect this equipment will have on our ability to deter and if necessary meet an air attack.
“I cannot, however, conceal from you my feeling of disappointment that your Note makes no mention of my request for anti-aircraft missiles.
[Page 334]“The plain fact is that our air defense today depends exclusively on fighter aircraft operating from three or four airfields. The United Arab Republic has twenty-six airfields. Without the protection of anti-aircraft missiles, an air attack against us could put our air bases out of action and thus paralyze our entire defense capacity. In the absence of geographic depth, one cannot rely on fighter aircraft alone to meet an air attack. The Hawk missile, which is designed to provide local air defense against low-flying aircraft, is the only effective defensive shield against air attack on which we can rely in our situation.
“It was for this reason that in my presentation to you I invariably linked our electronics needs to the need for missiles, giving the latter priority. The electronics would give us an improved alert system but by themselves are no protection against attack.
“You can well understand, therefore, how encouraged I was to get your positive reply about the missiles. I realise that there may be technical problems of immediate availability. However, it is my confident hope that a way will be found, with due regard to existing commitments and availabilities, to make possible the initiation of a program by which the Israel Defense Forces could acquire, over a period of time, a Hawk missile system and the necessary training for its operation.
“I have noted the last paragraph of your Note of May 23 with reference to our economic problems. You will recall my discussion of this matter with you. It is a very heavy burden and it is growing. I was glad therefore to read the assurance of your readiness to extend careful consideration to the problems we face in this area. They are of an immediate and pressing character. The list of matériel attached to our Ambassador’s Note to you of February 9, 1960 represents our defense gap. I am engaged in plugging this gap. This involves heavy expenditures now and even greater commitments for the years ahead. The damaging impact of this on our economy is all too clear.
“We face a possible attack of Soviet origin and manufacture. I am sure that we will not be left to face it alone. It is my earnest hope that the proposals we will present to you in this regard will receive your ready and sympathetic attention.
“It is my hope that in the course of your discussions with our Foreign Minister, Mrs. Meir, the matters which I have mentioned, and which are of such central importance, will be clarified. I am encouraged in that hope by your assurances to me and by the spirit of understanding reflected in your Note of May 23 for our concern at our present security position.”
I avail myself of this opportunity, Mr. Secretary, to renew to you the assurance of my highest esteem.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.56/6–960. Confidential. Attached to the source text is a memorandum from Merchant to Herter, July 1, which states that a reply should be delayed until Merchant had time to talk with senior Defense Department officials and had more time to give Ben Gurion’s letter further thought. In transmitting the letter to Hart during a conversation on June 10, Harman stressed the Israeli need for the Hawk missiles. (Memorandum of conversation; ibid.)↩