867N.48/6–2149: Telegram
The Ambassador in Israel (McDonald) to the Secretary of State
471. Personal attention President and Acting Secretary of State. At my request Herlitz of Foreign Office called residence evening nineteenth remaining two hours to read portions, paraphrase others and discuss Eban’s cabled report of Israeli’s long meeting with Acting Secretary and other Department officials June 18 [17]. According to Herlitz President and Department are primarily disturbed by:
- 1.
- Israel’s failure make specific pledge repatriation refugees;
- 2.
- Fear lest Israeli be planning enlarge territory by force.
Although some extremists in army and Knesset advocate expansion by use or threat of force and despite general opinion of both Israelis and foreigners that Israel is strong enough to impose its will on Arabs, I believe fear of Israel aggression is not warranted. My belief based on:
- 1.
- Present task which government dare not shirk of absorbing a quarter of a million immigrants annually requires every available economic resource;
- 2.
- Battle to reduce fantastic cost of living must be won if Ben-Gurion cabinet is to survive;
- 3.
- Outbreak war would wreck Israel’s basic purpose “in gathering of exiles” and defeat government on vital economic front;
- 4.
- Israeli’s repeatedly expressed confidence in General Riley and readiness accept and even on occasion to request wider scope his mediation inconsistent with aggressive intentions”;
- 5.
- Aggression would alienate world opinion and risk economic or other sanctions.
Certainly Ben-Gurion, Sharett and General Staff are fully aware that further Israel expansion by force, even if war were won quickly, would be disastrously self-defeating. None of these men are reckless adventurers. On contrary their record during struggle against Britain and Arabs and now against enormous domestic problems shows Israeli leaders as highly intelligent and practical. They, knowing that aggression would lose American support and President Truman’s friendship have no intention invite self-destruction.1
- In a Summary of Daily Meeting with the Secretary, Mr. Rusk “reported receipt of a telegram from Ambassador McDonald in which McDonald said that the Israelis will not commit any acts of aggression. Mr. Rusk emphasized that this was only McDonald’s view and that we had not received any assurances from any official of Israel. It was agreed that in replying to McDonald we should ask him to attempt to get such assurances.” (Executive Secretariat files, lot 58–D609)↩