357.AC/9–2851: Telegram
The Ambassador in Israel (Davis) to the Department of State 1
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288. Avner, acting chief Amer division FonOff informed Emb officer last evening Paris conf now appears be one merely of polit maneuvering. Both sides expect it to fail and only question is which will be blamed by West powers for failure. If on other hand there shld be any real chance for genuine settlement, Israel wld be ready make real concessions including perhaps repatriation small number refugees (smaller however than “political” figure of 100,000 previously used).
When asked what single thing Arabs cld do to evoke reciprocal response from Israeli, Avner replied “all that the Arabs wld have to do wld be to come directly to us, say they realize Israel is now a fact, that they are limited by slowness of Arab public opinion in accepting that fact and will as consequence have to go slowly, but it is their genuine desire to talk realistically with view to reaching agreement”.
- Repeated for information to Ambassador Palmer at Paris.↩