784A.11/8–850: Telegram
The Ambassador in Israel (McDonald) to the Secretary of State
75. At invitation Sharett his residence Sunday August 6 during hour and quarter talk following were among subjects discussed: (1) re possible visit Prime Minister to States (Embtel 61, July 31), Sharett asked my opinion likelihood official invitation from Department. I explained difficulties and suggested that Eban could without embarrassment sound out Department. Sharett gave impression Ben Ourion would go even without official invitation provided Department and President indicated Prime Minister’s presence would be welcome. (2) Re Israel hope for large US financial aid in “three-year plan” (Embtel 61) Prime [Foreign] Minister at length explained his “personal conviction” that best method would be regional aid program for settlement Arab refugees “in Arab countries” and speeding up settlement “in gathered exiles in Israel.” I refrained from predicting Department’s reaction but indicated personal opinion that Arab states except possibly Jordan might interpret Foreign Minister’s plan as: (a) Israel refugee victory and (b) threat to Israel’s neighbors through rapid increase Jewish population. Sharett replied: “If this were Arab reaction, there could be no regional plan.”
Foreign Minister then discussed as alternative possible US Marshall aid to Israel. He said that Israel because of public sensitiveness to infringements on independence could not accept such aid if it involved: (1) US representatives in UN SC or GA “whispering voting instructions” to Israel, or (2) presence in Israel of US representative commission with authority to try to influence Israel domestic, economic or financial policies. He added Israel would gladly accept conditions similar thereto of Exim Bank loan. Re assurance from Israel that in crisis it would be loyal to West, Sharett said mechanical guarantees are futile and urgent faith in Israel and knowledge that its self-interest is inescapably western.
[Page 967]Comment: Sharett’s attitude towards possible US. financial aid was less cocky than his language quoted above re US representatives “whispered voting instructions” might indicate. His outline was probably Israel’s initial proposal and might later be broadened to include concessions to Arabs on refugees to make regional aid program worth serious consideration by Department. End comment.
New subject: Re my retirement, Sharett said he hoped I would return from leave at least for short time. Foreign Minister expressed “personal hope” my successor would be man “without” previous experience in area and not Jewish.1
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Embassy Tel Aviv, on August 11, reported a conversation the previous day with Mr. Kollek, who explained he was “slightly worried” about the talks of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister with the Ambassador, as set forth in telegrams 61 and 75. According to Mr. Kollek, the Prime Minister had not expected the Ambassador to call on him at Jerusalem and was “mentally as well as physically in bedroom slippers” at the time. He stated, moreover, that the proposals outlined by the two Israeli leaders would probably meet resistance in their own party and from some of the populace outside the left-wing groups. He also indicated that “unlimited immigration was most sacrosanct tenet of present government and since it is now realized policy can only be carried on with assistance Western Jewry, principally American Jewry, Prime Minister and those advisers consulted had decided upon necessity for radical change in basic policy. Kollek then explained that Prime Minister intended begin process of educating party and public to new policy at Mapai Party conference to be convened August 15.” (Telegram 86, 784A.11/8–1150)
Mr. Shiloah, on August 11, also played down the conversations, stating that the Israeli leaders were doing “informal thinking out loud” to an old friend, rather than to the U.S. Ambassador (telegram 87, August 12, from Tel Aviv, 784A.11/8–1250).
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