Office of the Historian

134. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State1

Tel Aviv,June 18, 1955—7 p.m.

1070. When talking to Sharett about Lodge’s proposed SC meeting, he informed me of GOI decision to release publicly its four definite proposals for reducing border tension, which could be discussed at proposed Israel–Egypt talks. He told me that had been outlined to Burns and would appear in week-end press. They were:

1.
Cancellation by Egypt of standing orders to its troops to fire on Israelis.
2.
Establish a narrow border zone within which there would be mine fields along parallel wire fences on Egyptian and Israeli sides. Zone would straddle existing line.
3.
Operation of joint patrols on a central clear path within narrow, mined, border zone.
4.
Establishment of effective local commander’s agreement with it specifically agreed that telephonic communications exist between those commanders.

He said that Egyptians could introduce other proposals but he thought Israel’s proposals would obviate the “demilitarized” zone idea of Nasser, and would at same time prevent opening up of border area to unlimited infiltration as permitted by that proposal.

He thought move by Israel was a constructive one and supported his argument that a San Francisco SC meeting was not now necessary and would prove more confusing than effective in circumstances.2

Lawson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/6–1855. Secret; Priority. Received at 5:29 p.m. Repeated priority to Cairo, London, and Jerusalem. Repeated to San Francisco on June 20 for Ambassador Lodge. (Ibid., 674.84A/6–2055)↩
  2. Byroade reported on June 22 that he had asked Nasser earlier that day for his view about these latest Israeli proposals.Nasser stated that, with the exception of the first point, he believed they were really a variation of his own and Burns' suggestions. With respect to the first point,Byroade reported that Nasser thought it “was a strange entry in context of agenda. I asked then if his position was that Israeli suggestions appeared all right for discussion at meeting under Burns along with other suggestions that had been made. He replied, ‘Yes, certainly.’” (Telegram 1952 from Cairo;Ibid., 674.84A/6–2255)↩