780.5/11–1151: Telegram
The Ambassador in Israel (Davis) to the Department of State 1
466. PriMin Ben Gurion asked me to call on him late yesterday p. m. and in presence of DirGen FonOff Eytan said he wished have preliminary conversation re MEC before Cabinet considers matter formally.
He explained Israel sympathetic with purposes MEC and appreciative great importance of decision defend region. Believes his country can be of real assistance, but feels its assoc can be just as effective and less embarrassing to all concerned if its relationship is informal. He does not exclude possibility of working thru MEC but refers to danger adverse Arab reaction if undue or untimely attention directed to Israelis connection with Command.
As to Israel it has two fears: first, that Jewish immigration from Iron Curtain countries might be stopped as reprisal if Israel’s cooperation too much publicized; and second, that Israel might be exposed to aggression by neighbors if they were to know the exact size of Israel’s standing army. It wld not have misgivings on the latter score with respect to the US and UK and wld favor arrangements with them rather than MEC, which he feels wld necessitate having to reveal milit secrets to Arabs.
He believes Israel cld make substantial contribution to area defense in (1) manpower (2) repair facilities (3) transport facilities such as air fields, ports, roads, railways (4) manufacturing milit supplies such as small arms, ammunition etc. And (5) stockpiling facilities.
Comment follows.2
- Repeated to all Arab capitals, Ankara, London, and Paris.↩
- In telegram 467 from Tel Aviv of November 11, Davis reported that Ben Gurion had further stated, inter alia, that Israel could be counted upon to cooperate in any future MEC as 80 percent of the nation approved the current foreign policy; that Israeli manpower was increasing, and training was improving; that he hoped a future MEC would adopt American arms and, finally, that he hoped to see “Amer as well as Brit troops in area for morale and other reasons” (780.5/11–1151). In telegram 356 to Tel Aviv of November 15, Samuel K. C. Kopper, signing for Acting Secretary Webb, requested Davis to inform Ben Gurion that the United States appreciated his views about the MEC “which indicate clearly Israel’s full understanding importance MEC to defense NE area.” Kopper added that the Department of State recognized that certain regional problems, i.e., a satisfactory method to provide for Israeli-Arab cooperation, would have to be worked out before an MEC could come into true being. “Since MEC is regional Coop enterprise,” Kopper concluded, “we naturally look to time when Israel will be able assume proper role in MEC. You may assure PriMin that sponsoring powers will keep Israel informed Re MEC developments and you personally will be glad to continue Pres discussions with PriMin as he may see fit” (780.5/11–1551).↩