684A.86/2–1153: Telegram
No. 564
The Secretary of
State to the United States Mission at
the United Nations
priority
296. For Lodge. Understand Eban calling on you this afternoon after visiting Under Secretary this morning. One of Eban’s principal points expected allege Arab intransigence delaying Arab-Israel reconciliation. In this connection, following facts may be useful: (1) Increased tension between Israel and Arab states now confined to Jordan border where Department believes Israel shares considerable responsibility for current incidents, (2) Only other Israeli neighbors who could conceivably cause trouble are Syria and Egypt. US Government notes Syria now making two impressive moves towards removing tension from area. These are: (a) agreement with UNRWA to accept and resettle permanently 80,000 refugees within Syrian territory, and (b) cooperation with Israel and UN Mixed Armistice Commission in boundary negotiations which [Page 1129] are currently underway. (3) FYI, Embassy Cairo has repeatedly reported Naguib’s intention work out peaceful settlement with Israel when Sudan and Canal Zone Base problems settled with UK. As recently as February 7 Bunche asked by Naguib to convey this information to IG which Bunche did February 8.