Office of the Historian

316. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel1

Washington,September 27, 1955—6:54 p.m.

226. Israel Ambassador called his request on Assistant Secretary Allen twenty-seventh.2 Stated he instructed call Depts attention grave concern with which IG viewed press reports US attempting counter Russian moves toward Egypt by offering large quantities American arms on easy terms to Egyptians.Allen repeated points made by Dept spokesman to press on twenty-sixth (Deptels 593 and 599 to Cairo;3 rptd Tel Aviv, pouched Arab caps) emphasizing US policy of striving prevent arms race in Near East.Eban appeared reassured and paid tribute US practice of weighing requests to purchase arms, even Israel requests, in light general policy considerations.4 Stated practice placed US on higher moral plane than certain European states which evidently considered arms sales as “commercial transactions.”

Passing to reports re Egyptian-Soviet arms sale agreement,Eban recalled statement made in Moscow to Israel Ambassador5 Sept 12 whereby rumors of impending USSR-Egyptian arms deals were [Page 529] dismissed as “fantasy”.Eban stated if in fact USSR and Egypt had concluded arrangement, it appeared two courses open to Israel: 1) requesting friendly powers use their influence with USSR and Egyptians to cause them desist from implementing agreement. If this unsuccessful, then 2) Israel would be forced request that she be given sufficient arms from West to maintain balance of power. Said Israel would much prefer first solution.

Hoover
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 774.56/9–2755. Confidential. Drafted by Bergus and approved by Allen who signed for Hoover. Repeated to Cairo, London, Paris, Moscow,USUN, and pouched to Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus, and Jidda.↩
  2. The memorandum of this conversation is not printed. (Ibid., 684A.86/9–2755)↩
  3. On September 26, a Department of State spokesman issued a statement to the press which, in part, said that Egypt on June 30 had given the United States a list of weapons it hoped to obtain in the United States, and, “Although the United States agreed in principle to sell Egypt a certain amount of arms no arrangements have been effected to finance the purchase. Consequently, no transaction has taken place.” (Telegram 593 to Cairo;ibid., 774.56/9–2655) Telegram 599 to Cairo, September 26, contained another statement which had been given to the press and was designed to supplement the earlier statement transmitted to Cairo in telegram 593. (Ibid.)↩
  4. Lawson reported on September 30 that he had spoken with Sharett the preceding day, that Sharett had already read Eban’s telegraphic report of his conversation with Allen, and that Sharett was “reassured” as well that the United States had not sold any arms to Egypt. (Telegram 307 from Tel Aviv;ibid., 774.56/9–3055)↩
  5. Brigadier General Joseph Avidar.↩