501.BB Palestine/7–2849: Telegram
The Ambassador in Israel (McDonald) to the Secretary of State
571. In 40-minute talk with Foreign Minister [at] his office [at] his request late yesterday, Ford and I were informed that Israeli Government, reviewing exchange of words both oral and written which had taken place recent weeks re Arab refugee problem, had been “deeply impressed” by one argument in particular, namely that until countries involved including Israel specified actual number refugees they prepared take, no overall planning of refugee program including all important financing could be undertaken. Accordingly, while still adhering to general policy outlined by Eban at Lake Success May 5 that resettlement best solution refugee problem, Israeli Government had now decided make concrete contribution toward “overall solution” that problem and “in interest of general peace settlement” by offering take back total of 100,000 refugees. Immediate procedure in implementation this offer will be for Israeli delegation in Lausanne to inform PCC that “if Arab delegations prepared enter peace negotiations, Israel will then announce willingness go ahead with repatriation program.” Foreign Minister stressed no territorial expansion strings attached to above offer. He also underlined that 100,000 was limit as this number would bring total Arab population in Israel “well over quarter million, far beyond margin of safety by all known security standards.” Finally he urged fullest secrecy above proposition until Israeli Delegation Lausanne had acted.
Related subject: Foreign Minister said with some asperity that after nearly four weeks no written reply had been received regarding Israel’s offer reunite Arab families. In case of Lebanon “oral acceptance” had been expressed by one official, later to be denied in Beirut, but nothing had come from Egypt or Transjordan. Foreign Minister added that immediately Syrian armistice was signed that country had also been invited participate in divided family program (reDeptel 437, July 11).
Sent Department 571; repeated Baghdad 19, Beirut 31, Damascus 28, Jerusalem 62, Amman 25, Cairo 23, Jidda 5, London 73.