377. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State1
199. Beirut for Henderson. At Israeli initiative I called at Foreign Ministry today for talk about Syria with Herzog, Comay and Shiloah latter now functioning in newly created position of adviser to Foreign Minister on political and policy planning affairs.
When I said I welcomed opportunity to hear their views but that current study of situation by Washington had not resulted in distillation of US views to transmit to GOI they indicated that this negative information itself added discouragement to their already discouraging estimate of prospects for future. Time they felt was of essence. Every day of delay in expression of some strong and positive reaction by the United States as the leader of the western world increased dangerous possibility that gravity of threat posed by Syria would be discounted. In the absence of any indication that steps were under consideration or in motion to reverse current trend in Syria tendency would grow nurtured by wishful thinking for acceptance of fallacious thesis which Syria and Kremlin wish to promulgate, i.e. shake up in Syria represents merely shift of government by constitutional means to left but not creation of Communist state or Soviet satellite as first feared. Shiloah drew analogy with Egypt in 1955 when west made attempt to play down significance Czechoslovakian arms deal in belief now proved mistaken that west could still do business with Nasser and that strong reaction to Czech deal might only serve to drive him more rapidly into Soviet camp. GOI also believes it is whistling in dark to think Nasser is disturbed by events in Syria. He may have tried to give such impression to western diplomats but it was he who persuaded Kuwatly to reverse his decision to resign.
In opinion GOI “Arab experts” Syria can much more easily be turned into Soviet satellite than Egypt. Nasser though willing tool of [Page 663] Soviets insists that they work thru him and he has firm control over all elements of Egyptian Government. On other hand there is well-developed Communist movement in Syria with cells ready to take over all functions and every level of government. Unless something done to halt this we can expect step by step purge which will result in another Hungary against which west will be powerless to move. However GOI feels that a little time still remains in which Syrian elements opposed to present course could be assisted and encouraged to reverse trend… .
Israel is also part of the area Foreign Ministry officials emphasized and is as vitally concerned at prospect of “Soviet base” on its frontier as are other countries of area. Henderson has been dispatched on special mission to hear views of “certain of Syria’s neighbors.” He has already been in contact with Turkey, Iraq and Jordan and it is now reported that he will travel to Beirut. The impression may soon arise that US does not consider Israel “part of the area or a neighbor of Syria.”
When Shiloah expressed opinion that Turkey, Jordan and Iraq must have learned something of Department’s preliminary views or direction of thinking from Henderson which not available to assist Israel in its deliberations on situation I stated my belief that Henderson’s mission was exactly as announced in the press that he was only on fact-finding mission to report views of area leaders directly to the Secretary in order assist Department to evaluate Syrian developments. He did not ask if Henderson intended include Israel on his trip but volunteered that GOI would be happy to receive him if he should wish to come.
Source: Department of State, Central Files, 783.00/8–2857. Secret; Priority. Received at 5:33 p.m. Also sent niact to Beirut and repeated to Amman, Ankara, Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, Jidda, Paris, London, and Moscow.
On August 29, Howe forwarded to Goodpaster copies of telegram 199 from Tel Aviv and telegram 563 from Beirut under cover of a note indicating that Dulles wished the cables to be shown to Eisenhower. (Ibid., 783.00/8–2957) Copies of the telegrams are in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series.
In telegram 563 from Beirut, August 28, Henderson reported on his initial meetings with Foreign Minister Malik, Prime Minister Solh, and President Chamoun following his arrival in Beirut that day. During these discussions, the Lebanese officials emphasized the seriousness of subversion from Syria which Lebanon faced; Henderson explained that the United States shared this fear for Lebanon and other neighboring states. (Department of State, Central Files, 110.13–HE/8–2857)
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