471. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel1
445. Please convey to FonMin text following message from Secretary:
“Dear Mr. Minister: I received your letter of December 12 just as I was departing for Paris. With regard to request of the Israel Government for purchase of arms in this country, which you mention, Mr.Allen informed Ambassador Eban on December 132 that we were unable reach decision this time for number of reasons, prominent among them being recent incident on Syrian border.
“In your letter you also give Israel Government’s views with respect to some of questions involved in an Arab-Israel settlement. I hope the Israel Government will continue to give its most careful consideration to solution at this time of the various issues between Israel and her Arab neighbors. I am convinced that a resolution of this conflict would be of the greatest benefit to Israel and go far to remove a threat that otherwise must be of the gravest concern to all who are interested in its welfare.
“With kindest personal regards, sincerely yours,John Foster Dulles.”
Signed original enroute Tel Aviv by pouch.3
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.56/12–2955. Confidential. Drafted by Bergus and approved by Russell, who signed for Dulles.↩
- See Document 454.↩
- Dulles signed this message on December 23.↩