This memorandum was dictated purely from memory as I did not have before
me any of the Alpha or other relevant papers and no doubt needs a good
deal of technical perfecting. However, this will serve to illustrate my
idea of a possible approach which we can consider and accept or reject,
or accept with modifications as may seem wise.
I would like to have your thoughts on this paper for our meeting on Alpha
which I understand has been set up for Wednesday afternoon at 4
p.m.3
Attachment
DRAFT MEMORANDUM
I.
The United States and the United Kingdom believe that the time has
come to explore the possibilities of promoting conditions of peace
and prosperity in Israel and the neighboring Arab countries. In that
area the opportunities of the people are tragically shrunken by the
aftermath of the hostilities of 19474 (?).5 The large-scale fighting of that year
was brought to a close by armistices negotiated under the auspices
of the United Nations. But there is no genuine peace and armed
clashes are a frequent occurrence. The lines as defined by the
armistices are in many respects artificial. They sometimes
unnaturally separate homes and villages from their appurtenant
gardens and wells. They deny direct land contact from Egypt with
other Arab States. Water rights are ill-defined and legal
uncertainties under the armistices prevent the maximum development
of precious water in those arid lands. Economic relations between
Israel and neighboring states are negligible and Israel has only
uncertain use of the Suez Canal. The Arab refugees, numbering some
600,000(?), are still living in refugee settlements of the most
primitive character and their lives depend precariously upon
charity. No adequate compensation has been made for the homes and
possessions of which the refugees have been deprived in Israel.
Jerusalem, containing the Holy places of three great religions, each
of which teaches love, is a vortex of hatred; and pilgrims from all
over the world are denied adequate access to the places they
revere.
But over and above all this there is fear that relations will further
deteriorate. The Arabs fear lest Israel seek violently to expand at
their expense. The Israelis fear that the Arabs will gradually
marshal superior forces to be used eventually to drive them into the
sea. This fear hangs like a pall over the Arab and Israeli people.
It leads to military preparations which drain the already poor
economies of the countries concerned.
The fear on both sides is so great that other countries which would
aid both Israel and the neighboring Arab States find it difficult to
do so without attracting the animosity of those whom they would
befriend in a spirit of impartiality. Thus, an area of vast cultural
and strategic value is so weakened by strains and stresses
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between its component
parts that it could readily fall prey to aggression from
without.
Surely it lies within the capacity of the statesmanship, within and
without the area concerned, to better this situation.
The United States and the United Kingdom see possibilities of a
happier condition. This condition we outline in the hope that its
manifest advantages to all concerned will come to be appreciated and
bring about the concurrent efforts needed for its achievement.
II.
- 1.
-
The boundaries as fixed by the armistices should be
rectified and as so rectified accepted as permanent. This
recommendation would not appreciably alter the usable area
of Israel or impair its strategic or economic assets. It
would do away with local causes of frictions which have no
adequate justification.
In addition to local adjustments, Egypt should have
sovereignty over a triangular portion of the Negeb area as
is appropriate to assure it direct territorial contact with
Saudi Arabia or with Jordan. This Egyptian triangle would be
selected from land without agricultural or mineral value and
presently unsettled. There is ample land in the Negeb which
meets these specifications.
Since, however, Israel should also have contact with the port
of_________,6 there will inevitably be a
point of Egypt and Israel crossing at the Eastern apex of
the Egyptian triangle. There, the sovereignty of one will
have to be in terms of an overpass and the sovereignty of
the other in terms of an underpass.
- 2.
- The permanent boundaries between Israel and the Arab States
should be internationally guaranteed, preferably under United
Nations auspices, so that neither the Arabs nor the Israelis
need henceforth fear a forcible change of boundary at their
expense and so that both Arabs and Israelis may henceforth
devote their efforts to causes more productive than preparations
for possible war against each other.
- 3.
- Funds should be provided by Israel to permit the resettlement
of the Arab refugees, chiefly in Arab territory. These funds
will represent just compensation by Israel for the properties of
Arabs which have been taken, so far without such
compensation.
- 4.
-
Resettlement is not merely a question of money but of
creating additional permanent means of livelihood. This, in
turn, requires more irrigated land. A first step in this
direction would be the “Johnson” plan which already has been
negotiated to a point of near acceptability to all the
parties concerned.
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The compensation fund above referred to should be primarily
used, and should be supplemented, to make up the funds
required to develop additional water for the irrigation of
land in those countries which contribute to the solution
here envisioned.
- 5.
- The portion of Jerusalem which principally contains the Holy
places should be vested in an international body which will be
an organ of the United Nations. It will maintain the Holy places
and guarantee equal access to pilgrims of Jewish, Moslem and
Christian
faiths.
- 6.
- The Suez Canal will be open to Israeli flag traffic on the
same terms as the traffic of other nations, as called for by the
United Nations Security Council Resolution of________,
1954.7
III.
In the event that Israel and any one or more of her Arab neighbors
desire to proceed on the basis of the foregoing principles, insofar
as applicable to them, the United States and the United Kingdom
would be willing to contribute to bring about the acceptance and
implementation of these principles. They would:
- 1.
- Lend their good offices to facilitate a direct exchange of
views between the parties concerned or an exchange of views
through themselves or other acceptable
intermediaries.
- 2.
- Join in giving firm guarantees of the new permanent
boundaries as against future changes by force.
- 3.
- Advance to the State of Israel funds to assist in making
compensation to the refugees for the property taken, and
thus facilitate their permanent resettlement.
- 4.
- Make financial advances to Israel and to participating
Arab States directly or through the United Nations, so as to
permit water development which will increase the arable land
of participating nations of the area.
The measures enumerated in Points 2 to 4, inclusive, depend upon
parliamentary approvals which would be sought.
IV.
The program here outlined will serve, and will strengthen, each of
the Near East nations individually; and the aggregate result will be
to end a threat to world peace. The processes will deprive no nation
of any rights, since renunciation of force in international
relations is already required by the Charter of the United
Nations.
The Governments of the United States and the United Kingdom would be
pleased to receive in due course any observations from the
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governments concerned on
the point of view set forth in this memorandum.
