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

262.84A41/3–553: Telegram

No. 581
The Ambassador in Israel (Davis) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Tel Aviv, March 5, 1953—10 a.m.

1405. Yesterday spoke to Sharett regarding suggestion Israel Government make public announcement readiness pay compensation Arab refugees, pointing out such action might be timely in forestalling Arab decision boycott Federal Republic (Deptel 806).²

Sharett stated he had taken advantage Ralph Bunche’s (Embtel 1269)³ visit to send message to Egyptian official circles Israel’s offer to pay compensation stands “for time being”. He said he had tried to have conveyed to Egyptians detrimental effect of blockade on Israel’s ability to pay, and had suggested informal meeting of two Israel representatives with two Egyptians to discuss any subject Egypt might wish to raise.

As to suggestion Israel Government make public statement on compensation, Sharett expressed doubt effectiveness in Arab countries, but later indicated domestic political consideration probably chief reason for hesitation. He remarked spate of new incidents Jordan frontier and current criticism of government’s foreign policy (Embtel 1378),⁴ make present very inopportune time solicit Israel public support for such statement.

Davis

1. Repeated to Cairo, Bonn, London, Paris, and Ankara.
2. Document 578.
3. Dated Feb. 9, not printed, but see footnote 2, Document 560.
4. Telegram 1378, Feb. 27, not printed, cited recent examples of criticism by the Israeli press of Israeli foreign policy. (684A.00/2–2753)