410. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, October 29, 19561
SUBJECT
- Israeli Military Move into Egypt
PARTICIPANTS
- Dr. Ahmed Hussein, Ambassador of Egypt
- Mr. William M. Rountree,
- NEA Mr. Stuart W. Rockwell, NE
Ambassador Hussein called at Mr. Rountree’s request in connection with reports of a serious Israeli military move against Egypt. Mr. Rountree explained that the Secretary had wanted to see the [Page 832] Egyptian Ambassador personally but that he was at the moment meeting with the British Charge and the French Minister.2
Mr. Rountree reviewed for the Ambassador the events of the past few days. He mentioned the reports we had been receiving of large-scale Israeli mobilization, the two messages sent to Prime Minister Ben-Gurion by the President urging restraint and warning against forceful Israeli initiative, the public statement issued by the White House along the same lines, and the decision of the United States to reduce the number of American personnel in certain Near Eastern states.
Mr. Rountree said that the Secretary desired the Ambassador to know that the United States viewed with deep concern the reported Israeli military move into Egypt. If the reports were confirmed, the United States contemplated the Security Council’s being asked to take appropriate action. The situation was very serious, said Mr. Rountree, and he expressed the hope that the Government of Egypt would not take action which would jeopardize a clear-cut decision by the Security Council appropriate to the circumstances. It was important that there be time for the United Nations to take this appropriate action.
The Ambassador asked whether the Secretary had in mind anything beyond recourse to the Security Council. Mr. Rountree replied that this was the first step. Other steps would presumably be based upon the Security Council decision. In response to a further question from the Ambassador, Mr. Rountree said he believed that the Council might meet as early as tomorrow.
With reference to Mr. Rountree’s statement concerning the need for Egypt to take no action which would jeopardize a clear-cut United Nations decision, Ambassador Hussein said Egypt’s record was good. Despite large-scale provocations from Israel over the past year or so, Egypt had restrained itself. It was difficult to say what the Egyptian Government would do in these delicate circumstances. He assumed that the Secretary did not mean that Egypt should not defend itself. Mr. Rountree said that this was, of course, not the case. It was just that we thought that the United Nations should be at once seized of the matter and that nothing should jeopardize the chances of quick United Nations action.
The Egyptian Ambassador went on to say that Egypt did not think that Israel was a true entity. It was an artificial state created by the United Nations, or certain big powers. There were some, he continued, who thought that the big powers behind Israel had not really tried to restrain it. He was speaking frankly, he added. Mr. Rountree asked whether the Ambassador meant the United States, [Page 833] and the Ambassador reiterated that he was speaking frankly. Mr. Rountree mentioned the steps he had already outlined which the United States had taken in an effort to stop the present Israeli action. The Ambassador asked whether Mr. Rountree thought that if the United States, United Kingdom and France really told Israel not to do something, that Israel would still go ahead and do it. Mr. Rountree referred to the 1950 Tripartite Declaration of the United Kingdom, United States and France, saying this had been reaffirmed many times. The Ambassador said that nonetheless the Egyptian people and Egyptian Government thought that not enough restraint had been placed upon Israel. Mr. Rountree replied that even so, the United States position opposing the use of force in the area had been made very clear. We had stressed that we would take action in and outside the United Nations to oppose aggression. The Secretary was at that moment discussing the matter with the British and the French.
Mr. Rountree terminated by reiterating the importance which the Secretary attached to this matter and the Secretary’s desire that the Ambassador be urgently and personally informed of this. Ambassador Hussein thanked Mr. Rountree and took his departure.