203. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State 1

957. I saw Sharett today and conveyed to him in detail substance Deptel 6692 re US position on Banat Yaacov.

Sharett had almost verbatim record kept of my remarks, which he said he regarded as most important statement US position despite its oral expression. He would have to give it most careful consideration before commenting. However, his preliminary view was that it raised as many questions as it answered. Moreover, he could not help but conclude that United States Government is apparently quite content if GOI is obliged to wait indefinitely; and that US has set no limit to period it would expect the Israelis to exercise restraint in face of Syrian objections.

Lawson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/3–1656. Secret. Received at 6:27 a.m., March 18. Also sent to Cairo, Amman, Damascus, Beirut, London, Paris, and Jerusalem. Repeated to Ankara, Baghdad, and Jidda.
  2. Document 190.