640. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, December 7, 19561
SUBJECT
- Israel
PARTICIPANTS
- Mrs. Golda Meir, Foreign Minister of Israel
- Mr. Abba Eban, Ambassador of Israel
- Mr. Reuven Shiloah, Minister, Israel Embassy
- The Under Secretary
- NEA—William M. Rountree
- NE—Donald C. Bergus
After an exchange of greetings, the Israel Foreign Minister said that the Israel Government, especially the Prime Minister, appreciated the messages from the President which spoke of the friendship between the two countries. The Israelis wanted all to know that they were looking forward to the resumption of matters which had been suspended. Among the problems which disturbed Israel was the security situation with respect to Syria. There were continuing false accusations of Israel troops poised to attack Syria. The USSR was helping to spread these false reports. Israel was very vulnerable to a Soviet attack via Syria. It was for this reason that Israel had desired that the United States make a public statement at this time of its attitude with respect to Israel.
There followed an exchange of comment on the situation in Syria and the degree of Soviet penetration there. Mr. Rountree summed up the United States position by stating that we were concerned at present trends in Syria but that our primary concern was not over the immediate potentialities. Mr. Eban indicated that he liked the Department’s note to him of December 72 but would like to see its contents made public so that the USSR and the Arab states might hear it. Even the Pakistanis were talking about the possibility of Israel’s annihilation. Mrs. Meir expressed concern that the UNEF might be forced to leave the area before its mission was completed as a result of Egyptian pressure. She was apprehensive over the fact that Yugoslav and Indian units were participating in the UNEF between the Suez Canal and Israel.
The Under Secretary said that the immediate job was to get on with tasks set by the United Nations. The United States had confidence in the United Nations Secretary General and was giving [Page 1275] him its full support. As for the UNEF, the Secretary General had said that withdrawal of the force was not a unilateral matter to be determined by Egypt. An attack on United Nations troops would be an attack on the world.