Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 1

674.84A/9–2652: Telegram

No. 495
The Ambassador in Israel (Davis) to the Department of State¹

top secret
priority

Tel Aviv, September 26, 1952—8 p.m.

500. Re Cairo Embtel 763 to Dept² and request Deptel 301³ (1) Israel’s attitude toward implementing UN resolutions, (2) Emb’s views bona fides Israel motives in seeking peace and (3) Israel’s dependability re publicity following is submitted:

• Point One. FinMin stated in conversation this a.m. Israel had not been and is not now resistant to main UN objectives in ME, namely establishment Jewish and Arab States, (2) cessation of hostilities and (3) re-establishment of peaceful relations in ME. He passed over partition plan resolution as having been superseded by armistice agreements. As to refugees, he asserted repatriation manifestly impracticable but said his govt “will not shirk obligations re settlement and compensation despite difficulties”. Mentioned IG rep had informed PCC latter’s plan for handling payment of blocked accounts through Barclay’s Bank in London acceptable and that 1 million Israel pounds wld be made available as first installment.
• Point Two. Emb is convinced Israel sincere in desire establish peace with neighbors and become integrated in ME on basis normal polit, econ and cultural relations. There has been increase in interest taken by PriMin and other high officials of IG seeking to improve relations with neighbors, motivated it is believed by realization that without regional peace Israel’s position precarious.
• Point Three. As to Israel’s propensity seek to influence course of events through press, I agree entirely with view expressed in last para of Emb Cairo desp 405 of Sept 8 that threat of publicity attributed to Israel First Secy in Paris is most unfortunate and contemplated to defeat purpose of IG to make progress toward peace with Egypt. I took occasion this morning, therefore, to remind Sharett of our repeated expressions of opinion that untimely publicity on Israel’s part might well wreck any chance of success in important matter of initiating peace talks with Egypt, adding I had reason to believe Egyptian officials extremely sensitive now to danger of any announcements to press that might be so timed as to embarrass them seriously and put end to any possibility of effecting improvement in Israel-Egypt relations that they might otherwise favor.

Davis

1. Repeated priority to Cairo.
2. Document 492.
3. Not printed.