491. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State1
77. Canadian Chargé2 today showed Embassy officer cable from Ottawa, dated July 16, stating Foreign Ministry had informed US and Israeli Ambassadors that Canada did not intend make unilateral contribution of jets to Israel but would consider participation in collective effort to that end with other powers.
While I have not received from Department or AmEmbassy Ottawa word of Canadian decision not to supply jets unless similar effort made by other Western powers, it is interesting coincidence that in my July 17 conversation with Myerson (Embassy telegram 42)3 I deliberately raised question whether jets supplied from collective pool or consortium of which US a member, and unidentified as to specific national source would meet Israel requirements. In other words, was GOI’s principal interest in political identification of contributors with Israel or in obtaining jets themselves? Her answer [Page 886] was declaration of desire for jets, regardless of source, to balance qualitatively arms Egypt is receiving from bloc.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.5622/7–2456. Secret. Received at 12:02 p.m. Repeated to Ottawa, London, Paris, and Rome.↩
- George P. Kidd.↩
- Regarding Lawson’s conversation with Myerson on July 17, see Document 470. Telegram 42 from Tel Aviv, July 15, dealt exclusively with the problem of Fedayeen penetrations into Israel. (Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85/7–1555)↩