684A.85/3–2550: Telegram
The Ambassador in Saudi Arabia (Childs) to the Secretary of State
54. From Childs. Shortly before receipt paraphrase Deptel 106, March 171 sent by Hill2 in Jidda to me Riyadh while with McGhee,3 McGhee had an extended talk on March 22 with Shaikh Yusuf Yassin, Deputy Foreign Minister, in which Assistant Secretary touched upon Israeli relations Arab states. In course broad general review efforts which might be made to achieve peace and stability in ME, McGhee made plea for use moderating influences in Arab League to remove points of difference among Arab states and to assure cooperation states concerned, particularly Syria with which SA had close ties, with Clapp program.
Passing from that thought McGhee emphasized policy USG was one of complete objectivity and impartiality as between Israel and Arab states.
Yusuf said he warmly welcomed this. SA had never sought pro-Arab policy from USG, but all it asked was that USG should weigh the scales between Israel and Arabs in spirit of complete impartiality tempered by a sense of justice and right.
McGhee said he wished to assure Shaikh Yusuf this was purpose of USG and that as evidence of USG’s complete impartiality it refrained from any form of pressure on Arab states for settlement Arab differences with Israel. There had been recent reports of use of such pressure on Jordan directed toward conclusion treaty arrangements [Page 817] between Jordan and Israel, but he could assure Yusuf there had been no such pressure.
Yusuf said he was very happy to hear this.
McGhee then said bearing in mind that his exploration of subject was not to be construed in any way as attempt influence SA, he wondered whether something could not be done by Arab states themselves to normalize their relations with Israel and achieve some kind of working relationship, pointing out that present Arab policies likely to produce aggressive Israeli reaction most feared by Arab states.
Yusuf stated very politely, but emphatically, that this was not possible and said that Arab states would never agree to any working relations with Israel. He added that Arabs considered Israel a great menace without any limits to territorial ambitions. Arabs believed Israel had every intention of expanding beyond Israel to include Syria, Jordan, et cetera. Arabs had no aggressive designs against Israel, but intended to treat that state as if a wall surrounded it. If Israel wished to extend beyond that wall, it could put its people on vessels and send them overseas to London and Paris, but Arabs wished to have none of them. SA had no basis for trade with Israel and could easily isolate itself from Israel.
McGhee pointed out that Jordan’s economy, unlike SA, was dependent on commercial exchanges with Palestine and Israel and asked what would happen if Jordan broke down wall.
Yusuf’s answer was “We shall then include Jordan within the wall separating us from Israel”.
In course of conversation Yusuf said, “We shall never admit a Jew in SA and we shall never admit any one traveling with an Israeli visa.”
When concluding his observations, Yusuf said, “We believe greatest menace offered by Russia in Middle East is through state of Israel and I expect to recall these words to you one day.”
Comment: It is believed Department will agree, in light of foregoing, no possible useful purpose would be served by taking action suggested Department’s reftel. To do so would only give mistaken impression such [garble] gained whenever we take up matter with SA [garble] advantage Israel that we are at all times ready to take cudgels up on behalf that state with Arab states with resultant continued exacerbation Saudi feelings and consequent giving impression extreme solicitude anything affecting Israeli relations with not always corresponding regard Arab interests.
Sent Department 54; repeated Baghdad 5, Tel Aviv unnumbered, Damascus unnumbered; pouched Amman, Jidda. Department pass London 2, Cairo 4, Jerusalem unnumbered.