Office of the Historian

278. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Canada1

Washington, April 12, 1956—12:36 p.m.

398. From the Secretary. Deptel Ottawa 394, London 6002, Paris 3747, Rome 3278, Tel Aviv 756.2 Israeli Ambassador Eban called on me on 11th3 to complain that despite efforts by Israeli Government during past two weeks to buy planes in Europe and Canada, no success had been achieved due in each instance, he felt, to fact that respective foreign governments did not want to sell military planes to Israel unless US itself was ready to sell some significant military items to Israel. I said I did not believe all possibilities in this direction had been exhausted and would be glad to inquire into matter further.

Embassies Ottawa, London, Paris and Rome should discuss subject with respective foreign offices, pointing out that failure of US so far to sell arms is not desired to result in de facto stoppage of sale by other western countries. US has no desire perpetual [perpetuate] imbalance.

You will naturally be asked why US advises other countries to do what we have refused to do. You may point out that US has not in recent years been a supplier of arms to Israel and while possibility of future sales by US is not excluded, we believe Soviets might redouble their efforts to arm Arabs if US entered picture and arms race might result. Experience in sale of Mysteres by France shows [Page 528] clearly that Arab reaction is less excited if arms are not directed from US even though it is known that US consent was required.

You should make it clear that US is not prepared to give blanket concurrence in advance to unlimited sales to Israel, particularly where OSP or other US interests involved. Each such case where US concurrence is required will be considered separately.

Report your early convenience.4

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784.A.56/4–1256. Secret. Drafted by Allen, cleared in draft with the Secretary, and approved by Allen who signed for Dulles. Also sent to London, Paris, Rome, Tel Aviv, and USUN.↩
  2. Printed as telegram 3747, Document 269.↩
  3. The memorandum of conversation is not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, 784A.56/4–1156)↩
  4. Ambassador Stuart at Ottawa subsequently reported that Canadian Foreign Minister Pearson told him that Canada was reluctant to sell fighter planes to Israel, but that the matter would be discussed by the Canadian Cabinet on April 13. (Telegram 384 from Ottawa, April 13; Ibid., 784A.56/4–1356)

    Ambassador Dillon at Paris informed the Department that Maillard of the French Foreign Ministry believed that France would probably not make any additional sales of Mysteres to Israel in view of Arab hostility to the most recent French sale of Mysteres to the Israelis. (Telegram 4776 from Paris, April 13; Ibid.)

    The Embassy in London reported that the British Foreign Office position was not one of complete refusal to sell arms to Israel, and that the United Kingdom had in fact recently supplied Israel with six Meteor night fighter planes. Israel’s main effort in Great Britain was the purchase of Centurion tanks, which the British were hesitant to sell to Israel at that time because they were in short supply and in view of possible adverse reactions in Jordan and Iraq. (Telegram 4630 from London, April 13; Ibid.)

    The Embassy in Rome informed the Department that the contents of this instruction had been conveyed to the Foreign Office on April 13. The Foreign Office response was that it was questionable “whether Italian Government would supply arms to Israel at this time without United States participation in such shipments.” (Telegram 3539 from Rome, April 16; Ibid., 784A.56/4–1656)

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