Office of the Historian

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

Tel Aviv, March 7, 1956—noon.

899. Reference Bnat Yaacov (Embassy telegram 8932), Foreign Minister requested late last night following additions be made to his comment to me:

1.
Re General Burns, will United States request him to permit GOI begin work if in course of few weeks Syrians do not agree to JVP?
2.
What would United States do if Israel began work after waiting period brings no results? Will United States in that case inform Syrians “in advance” that United States will support GOI position?

I made no attempt to give categorical replies to either Sharett or Herzog his messenger as he obviously expected me to submit questions to Department for reply either through Israeli Embassy or this Embassy.

Lawson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/3–756. Secret. Received at 10:23 p.m. Repeated to Cairo, Amman, Damascus, Beirut, London, Paris, Ankara, Jerusalem, Baghdad, and Jidda.↩
  2. Document 170.↩