Office of the Historian

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

Tel Aviv, April 25, 1956—2 p.m.

1136. Inquired of Foreign Ministry last night re substance Friday afternoon meeting2 Ben Gurion and Sharett with Hammarskjold reported Embtel 1122 paragraph 6.3 Informed that Secretary General said he had drawn enough encouragement from his Cairo visit to decide explore possibilities Arab-Israel settlement. In view Hammarskjold, territorial problem relatively unimportant and his position refugees was vital question. He arrived at this conclusion by thesis that cession of territory something which Nasser had conceived and it was, therefore, demand which he could unilaterally waive. On other hand repatriation and compensation of refugees were demands to which all Arab Governments committed and issues which had firm foundation among refugees in all Arab countries.

Hammarskjold concluded that key to solution was to give refugees option of returning to Israel and inquired whether Israel Government prepared to cooperate adding that all of this within context of peace (settlement). Sharett replied that GOI prepared to cooperate in this approach subject to three conditions:

1.
That approach was within framework of peace;
2.
That repatriation formula would not result in flood of refugees but would on face be limited to reasonable number; and
3.
That Nasser and Arabs would abandon territorial claims.

Ministry official in commenting on above indicated skepticism that Hammarskjold’s presentation reflected Nasser’s thinking adding that “some people” in Israel Government thought it more likely that Labouisse, who totally preoccupied with refugee problem had provided basis for Hammarskjold’s approach.

White
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/4–2556. Secret. Received at 2:20 p.m. Repeated to Cairo, Beirut, London, Paris, and Damascus.↩
  2. April 20.↩
  3. Document 298.↩