Office of the Historian

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

Tel Aviv, November 3/4, 1956—midnight.

485. I saw Foreign Minister Meir rather urgent request in Tel Aviv 9:15 tonight. She made following points:

1.

Syria informed world it had sent note to United States2 saying Syria about to discharge its responsibilities under Egyptian-Jordan-Syrian mutual defense pact. Accordingly Syria moving troops into Jordan. Since terms of Syria’s note made public she thought it incumbent on United States to state its reaction publicly and disappointed [Page 967] United States had not promptly done so. Furthermore Iraqi troops also moving into Jordan.

2.
She said Israel will not attack Jordan unless attacked. I then asked her point blank if in her view entry of Syrian and/or Iraqi troops into Jordan would be regarded technically as attack. I [She] did not give categorical reply but directed general comment toward implied threat contained in entry of troops into Jordan. She said she would be “very happy” if attack on Israel not intended. Syrian note declaring intention to implement Arab tripartite agreement which by its terms constituted Israel’s destruction has ominous appearance taken in conjunction with reported movement of Syrian troops into Jordan. It equivalent of declaration Syria going to attack Israel. USG as recipient of Syria’s note ought to insist on being informed what Syria has in mind and should publicly express its reaction.

I pointed out both United States and United Kingdom reportedly urged Arab States not take any action that might be regarded by Israel as act of aggression but I had no information on USG reaction to reported message from Syria.

Meir said radio broadcasts reported General Assembly meeting tonight and it might be appropriate place for United States to make its views known.

Returning to subject of Israel’s reaction to Syrian-Iraqi troop movements I told her all day I had seen IDF tanks in considerable numbers moving south and east to Jordan-Syrian frontier. She refused to be drawn but replied, “We have no intention and no desire of doing anything at all to involve ourselves in Jordan border but if anything happens there we shall react and oppose it with all our might”.

Meir, who said Cabinet met on this question this afternoon and would meet again tomorrow obviously wishes early answer re United States reaction reported Syrian note. She told me to call her as soon as I received reply no matter what hour tonight I have it.

Lawson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/11–356. Confidential; Niact. Received at 11:15 p.m., November 3. Repeated Niact to Damascus, Baghdad, Cairo, Beirut, Amman, Jerusalem, London, Rome, Paris, and USUN.↩

  2. On November 2, the Chargé of the Syrian Embassy in Washington, Dr. Mamun Hamui, handed to Deputy Assistant Secretary J. Lampton Berry a note, dated November 2, from the Syrian Government which reads as follows: “The Syrian Government has decided to implement, as of this moment, the joint Egyptian-Syrian defense pact. For this reason, the Syrian Armed Forces are put under the Egyptian-Syrian Joint Command, the Chief Commander of which is General Abdel Hakim Amer, Commander in Chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The Syrian Armed Forces are now taking orders from this Commander-in-Chief.

    “Syria is now standing side by side with Egypt. Her full force, and all her resources are, from this moment on, devoted to their common cause.”

    Hamui told Berry that the note was an indication of action which the Government of Syria planned to take and was in Hamui’s view “casus foederis”. (Memorandum of conversation by Wilkins, November 2; ibid., 674.831/11–256)

    ↩