867N.2383/1–849: Telegram
The Special Representative of the United States in Israel ( McDonald ) to the Secretary of State
priority
21. Re Deptel 12, January 7.1 Talks with Shiloah and principal military liaison reveals UN observers left Tel Aviv for Negev on 7 January and are now able examine all positions. It was pointed out by Shiloah that area west of El Auja (El Aujar) is open desert without frontier markings. He offered investigate alleged position Israeli and report to mission.
Re Deptel 11, January 72 re Egyptian protest to UN, Shiloah asserts UN has not forwarded any such protest to PGI as of 4 p. m. today [Page 630] and there is no knowledge here of such actions by Israeli forces. With UN now in field both sides all fighting believed stopped except at Rafah where Israeli claim local Egyptian commander continues artillery fire.
Mission has no way of checking RAF report or the alleged Israeli violations cease-fire and service attaches strongly suggest such technical matters be left UN observers on spot and that mission not become involved.
- Not printed; it requested comment on information from the British Embassy that Royal Air Force reconnaissance on January 4 and 5 showed that Israeli troops, armed with three antitank guns, still occupied a strong point in Egyptian territory west of El Auja and that an antitank ditch had been bulldozed across a nearby road 5 miles inside Egypt (867N.2383/1–749).↩
- Not printed; it repeated the text of the aide-mémoire left by the Egyptian
Ambassador at 4 p. m. that afternoon stating that shortly after
the ceasefire at 2 p. m., January 7, Zionist forces had advanced
once more into Egyptian territory, had bombarded several
civilian objectives at Deir el-Balah in the Egyptian zone in
Palestine as well as refugee camps, and that the Egyptian
Government could not hold itself responsible for the
consequences of continued Zionist violation of the ceasefire
(867N.2383/1–749). The Department, on January 7 sent the text of
the Egyptian aide-mémoire to Mr. Ross at
New York and directed him to bring the matter to Mr. Bunche for
comment (telegram 8, 501.BB Palestine/1–749).
Egyptian Prime Minister Hady called in Chargé Patterson at 7 p. m. on January 7 and conveyed to him the information contained in the aide-mémoire. The Chargé “expressed the hope that the apparent renewal of hostilities after a cease-fire … might be due to the short time available for notifying local commanders. I would hasten to apprise my government to [of] Egyptian view point since I was certain from Urgent instructions … of deep and serious concern of US Government in the importance not only of a cease-fire but also of attainment of general settlement in Palestine at earliest possible moment.… I urged upon Hady Pasha the importance of not allowing localized attacks to degenerate into general hostilities inimical to the reestablishment of the cease-fire.” (telegram 20, January 7, 9 p. m., from Cairo, 501.BB Palestine/1–749)
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