395. Statement Issued by the President1
During the last several days I have received disturbing reports from the Middle East. These included information that Israel was making a heavy mobilization of its armed forces. These reports became so well authenticated that yesterday morning, after a meeting with the Secretary of State, I sent a personal message to the Prime Minister of Israel expressing my grave concern and renewing a previous recommendation that no forcible initiative be taken which would endanger the peace.
I have just received additional reports which indicate that the Israeli mobilization has continued and has become almost complete with consequent stoppage of many civil activities. The gravity of the situation is such that I am dispatching a further urgent message to Prime Minister Ben-Gurion.
I have given instructions that these developments be discussed with the United Kingdom and France which joined with the United States in the Tripartite Declaration of May 25, 1950 with respect to the maintenance of peace in the Middle East.
While we have not heard of such large-scale mobilization in countries neighboring Israel which would warrant such Israeli mobilization, I have also directed that my concern over the present situation be communicated to other Middle East states urgently requesting that they refrain from any action which could lead to hostilities.
The Security Council of the United Nations now has before it various aspects of the maintenance of peace in the Middle East.
I earnestly hope that none of the nations involved will take any action that will hinder the Council in its efforts to achieve a peaceful solution.
- Source: Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1956, pp. 275–276. Also printed in Department of State Bulletin, November 5, 1956, pp. 699–700; and United States Policy in the Middle East, September 1956–June 1957, pp. 134–135.↩