534. Editorial Note
During an address to the Knesset on November 7, Prime Minister Ben Gurion rejected the proposals adopted by the General Assembly for the stationing of United Nations forces in Israel or in the areas occupied by Israel. He also declared the Israeli-Egyptian Armistice Agreement of 1949 to be “dead and buried”, stated that the armistice lines had no more validity, and expressed Israel’s hope for a peace treaty with Egypt. (Excerpts from Ben Gurion’s address are printed in United States Policy in the Middle East, September 1956–June 1957, pages 199–204.)
That same day in New York, during the morning session of the General Assembly, Secretary-General Hammarskjöld called Ambassador Lodge aside and informed him that, according to a report from General Burns, the Government of Israel intended and might have already taken steps to force UNTSO observers from the Gaza area. Hammarskjöld told Lodge that if Israel persisted in this attitude he anticipated such a strong reaction from members of the United Nations that Israel might be expelled. Hammarskjöld then showed Lodge a copy of Ben Gurion’s statement to the Knesset of November 7 and said that he intended immediately to register a protest with Ambassador Eban on this matter. Subsequently, Hammarskjöld informed Lodge that he had requested through Eban clarifications from Ben Gurion as to whether Israel would withdraw all its forces behind the armistice demarcation lines. Hammarskjöld also warned Eban that any actions taken against UNTSO observers would be reported to the General Assembly. (Reported in Delga 23 from USUN, November 7; Department of State, Central Files, 320.5780/11–756)