435. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State1
21. Reference: Embtel 16.2 Accepting standing invitation to tea at Ben Gurion’s home Jerusalem, I had short informal talk with him in calm atmosphere immediately after talk with Myerson.
[Page 798]He was not in his usual “battle dress”, was most affable and cordial as he, Mrs. Ben Gurion and Herzog enjoyed a friendly cup of tea. He expressed regret he unable to attend our fourth July party and remarked that context of letter of regret to me (friendly and written by him and will be pouched3) represented his genuine feeling. “I meant what I wrote”, he said.
Apparently Herzog, who present at Myerson talk and departed hurriedly, had briefed Ben Gurion on nature of talk; therefore I referred to Arab rumors of Israeli troop concentrations. He in very relaxed and unexcited mood denied categorically existence of concentrations. He took very much line taken by Myerson but with far less detail and discussion. I gathered he inclined to believe Burns may have given Hussein somewhat more alarming message than Ben Gurion in fact sent but latter made no direct charge to that end. He believed Jordan used incident for own purposes but did not attempt to list them. He did remark, “the real story is that troop concentrations are taking place on the other side”. He referred especially to report of Iraq troops on Jordan border showing, by this and subsequent remarks, that ultimate possibility of enemy troops adjacent to Israel and neither subject to nor protected by a GAA was very much in his mind.
During entire conversation I received no impression he had desired to suggest to Burns early military action or assume a threatening war posture, although Burns in fact received that impression. I gather Ben Gurion very much surprised at speed, intensity and extent of Hussein’s reaction.
In response to my question, he thought Hammarskjold may have discussed with Moscow on current visit the idea of separate implementations by Jordan and Israel of parts of Johnston water plan but under UN. Hammarskjold had discussed something of the idea with him. He knew Hammarskjold was much concerned over situation in NE and had written he would discuss with Ben Gurion on July 19 on arrival in Israel.
As I left, he expressed hope that US would soon find it possible to sell arms to Israel, referring at same time to President Eisenhower’s letter to him which had said US cannot supply arms now (at time letter was sent4).
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85/7–1056. Secret. Received at 9:41 a.m. Repeated to Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem, London, and Paris.↩
- Telegram 16, July 7, reported on Lawson’s meeting with Myerson during which she denied reports of Israeli troops massing on the Jordanian border. (Ibid., 684A.86/ 7–756)↩
- Not printed. (Despatch 31 from Tel Aviv, July 13; ibid., 811.424/7–1356)↩
- Reference is to Document 315.↩