Office of the Historian

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

Tel Aviv, February 16, 1956—7 p.m.

819. Reference: Embtels 817,2 818.3 Foreign Minister reports that Ben Gurion is astonished with and nonplussed about press reaction here and abroad to his New York Times interview. Prime Minister reportedly had drawn conclusion either from Johnston’s press interview following his talk with President4 (USIS Radio File 29) or from representative conversations with him by members Israel Embassy Washington, that Johnston’s return to area to resume negotiations was imminent. This being the case Ben Gurion saw no harm in indicating there would be short delay resumption work Bnat Yaacov with active discussions water settlement underway.

In Embassy’s judgment ultimate result this interview will depend on whether there is a real chance for settlement in near future. If active and hopeful negotiations underway, interview will have done no harm and might prove beneficial. If on other hand, there no progress to point to, public and Knesset discussion here may rapidly build up pressure early resumption work Bnat Yaacov. It would be most helpful to this Embassy for guidance purposes if it could obtain from the Department an appraisal of prospects for progress with Arab States and of any specific plans for Johnston’s return to area.

Lawson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/2–1656. Confidential. Received at 2:59 p.m., February 17.↩
  2. Supra.↩
  3. The Embassy reported in telegram 818, February 16, that Ben Gurion’s announcement that Israel would defer work at Banat Yaacov pending the outcome of additional negotiations with Johnston had surprised Israelis and had caused many in Israel to assume that Ben Gurion’s statement represented a new departure in Israeli policy. (Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85322/2–1656)↩
  4. See Document 89.↩