257. Telegram From the Embassy in Egypt to the Department of State1
2012… . informed Israelis reinforcing their positions east of Gaza Strip and Egyptians moving MIGs, AMX and Stalin tanks into forward Sinai region. Egyptians do not, source said, intend defend Gaza Strip itself. Source added “next twelve hours will clarify situation.”
I consider it most probable that if Israeli forces repeat their tactics of “retaliation in force” Egyptian forces will in turn retaliate in force and that full-scale war would then be imminent. From Arab area, and at home Nasser is under pressure that would make it extremely difficult for him to refrain from responding in force to [Page 495] Khan Younes type of attack. I don’t think he would exercise that much restraint.2
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/4–856. Secret; Niact. Received at 6:03 p.m. Repeated niact to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and priority to Damascus, Amman, Beirut, Baghdad, London, Paris, Jidda, and USUN. Passed to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.↩
- The Department instructed Byroade niact to “approach GOE soonest and in most effective manner support Burns’ request for soonest cease-fire”. (Telegram 2447 to Cairo, April 8; ibid.)↩