264. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel1
753. Please convey soonest following personal and private message from President to Ben Gurion:
Begin Text. Dear Mr. Prime Minister: I am just issuing a public statement in connection with Secretary General Hammarskjold’s mission to the Near East.2 By it I commit the United States to the support of that mission in fullest measure and reaffirm our Government’s position with reference to possible aggression.
In the friendliest spirit I want to supplement that public statement with a personal and private message to you.
[Page 504]I realize that this is a period of very great strain and tension and that there may occur further provocative actions from what may, perhaps, be irregular elements. It is my earnest hope that in view of the awful calamity which general hostilities would surely visit upon the area, you will even under extreme provocation avoid retaliatory action which could have the gravest consequences.
This is, I am sure you will agree, a time for high statesmanship, through which time will be provided to achieve a result which would be infinitely better than that which would follow hostilities.
This message is prompted by the hatred of war and knowledge of all of the evil and misery that it produces—a hatred and knowledge which I know we share. Sincerely yours, Dwight D. Eisenhower. End Text.
When foregoing message delivered you should also hand Ben Gurion copy White House press statement contained immediately following telegram.3
Similar message being conveyed Nasser by Embassy Cairo.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/4–956. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Dulles and approved by Rountree who signed for Dulles.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 258.↩
- See footnote 5, ibid.↩