Office of the Historian

867N.01/7–549: Telegram

The Ambassador in Israel (McDonald) to the Secretary of State

top secret
priority
Tel Aviv, July 5, 1949—noon.

512. From reliable private American, whom I trust completely but am pledged not name, I am told that President Weizmann is calling conference with Ben Gurion and Sharett July 6 to urge that Israel offer unqualified1 non-aggression pacts to Arabs States.

I would appreciate Department’s reaction this idea and its advice.2

McDonald
  1. As originally received in the Department, telegram 512, at this point, read “qualified”. The correction was made on July 8.↩
  2. The Department replied on July 5, stating that it would be “pleased see non-aggression pacts freely entered into between Arab States and Israel. However, Dept unable give to proposal ur 512 July 5 the full consideration necessary without further details. For instance, what is meant by ‘qualified’? Does Weizmann envisage non-aggression pacts as forming part of overall peace settlement, or wld he plan make proposal before and separately? Difficult see how Israel cld hope Arab States wld take favorable action on proposal unless it connected with final settlement” (telegram 423, 867N.01/7–549)↩