100. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State1
966. Deptels 778 and 786.2 I saw Ben Gurion at my request during mid day break in Cabinet’s consideration our aide-mémoire which began at his home this morning and was to be resumed immediately after lunch to continue through afternoon. His aide told me Prime Minister had consumed morning session in personal analysis aide-mémoire and Secretary’s remarks to Eban and that afternoon session would be devoted to Cabinet colleagues comments. They hoped to cable instructions to Eban tonight.
By way of introduction I told Ben Gurion purpose of call not to attempt to hurry his decision in advance full governmental consideration but to review aide-mémoire and Secretary’s conversation with [Page 171] Eban in manner that would be most helpful to him and to our understanding other’s viewpoints. He said he appreciated visit and spirit that prompted it.
Ben Gurion pleased with intent of United States suggestions if not their particulars. Aide-mémoire and even more heartening remarks of Secretary he said shed great deal of light for first time on situation and might lead to solution. Emphasizing that he could not speak for his colleagues he addressed his comments in general way to 3 aspects …3 Straits of Tiran, Armistice Agreements with Egypt, and Gaza.
Re Sharm el Sheikh: He seemed in mood to explore possibility of solution of issue along lines laid down in United States aide-mémoire. He delighted he said with thought that United States ships might transit Gulf and might even visit Eilat and that United States would invite other international shipping to follow. He stressed point, however, it not clear whether UNEF would remain at Straits until peace established or until agreement to maintain freedom of transit achieved by four littoral states. Suppose he said UNEF left area before peace achieved or before agreement had been reached by littoral states and then Egypt interferred with Israel shipping? He cited example of Egyptian “defiance with complete impunity of Security Council’s Resolution of 1950, Convention of 1888. Neither UNSYG nor United States making any effort stop Egypt. If this were to happen at Sharm el Sheikh would still have no other recourse than to fight or submit which was not an agreeable choice to us or you either”.
Re Armistice Agreements: Secretary General’s latest report states Egyptians have reaffirmed their adherence to Armistice Agreement. He would like to know if SYG has received written document from Egypt to that effect, and, if so, why has not he made it public? But it really does not matter he said. For 8 years Egypt has violated armistice agreements and declined to concede that alleged Egyptian adherence to Armistice Agreements incompatible with its insistence on right of belligerency. He repeated again as he has in so many recent conversations that armistice agreements do not exist and that nothing will make Israel return to them.
Re Gaza Strip: He said key sentence in aide-mémoire was that which stated “Future of Gaza strip to be worked out through efforts and good offices of United Nations”. He could agree in principle with that viewpoint but there number of questions including major one just raised … status of Armistice Agreements. Old Armistice Agreement regime means return of Fedayeen acts, avoid blockade and boycott by other signatory states. Instead Israel prepared make solemn declaration on “basis of reciprocity with Egypt that we do not regard ourselves [Page 172] at war, that we will commit no hostile act and we prepared at once to enter negotiations for permanent peace under United Nations Charter”.
Ben Gurion at this point proposed Israel civil administration for Gaza character of which he said he would like to discuss with us. Israel had no hard and fast ideas for Gaza administrations but would like to work out blueprint in collaboration with United States in effort to find settlement. GOI would then submit it to United Nations if possible supported by United States which he said would be all that was necessary to win its passage.
He said Israel would like United States representatives sent here to make thorough study of Gaza’s problems. Such study would persuade United States he said of real necessity for Israel becoming administering authority under general United Nations supervision. By establishing links between indigenous Gaza community and Israel’s economy those 80,000 to 100,000 people would become viable self-sufficient unit with perhaps one-third engaged in agriculture and remaining two-thirds in local industry and commerce.
150,000 to 200,000 refugees were different problem to solution of which Israel would be prepared to contribute substantially including repatriation of some.
I referred to United States determination to aid in settlement of this problem; our clear picture of Israel’s stated position; and said in general we had some understanding of objectives of United Kingdom, France and Israel with respect to Suez Canal but did not agree with methods adopted. I said views set forth in aide-mémoire established hopeful atmosphere for solution of problems involved. I then enumerated several most encouraging features and made principal points contained in Secretary’s remarks to Eban.
He readily agreed Secretary’s comments insofar as they had connotation of moral support for or sympathetic interest in Israelis’ problems. Specifics he regards largely as providing avenue for further approaches to us.
Comment: Ben Gurion’s comments and general approach to two issues of Sharm al Sheikh and Gaza inclines me to believe if they could be separated, settlement of former along lines envisaged by Secretary might be more easily achieved. On Gaza I feel Ben Gurion trying to find some formula that will make de facto civil control by Israel acceptable to us. Prospect which he most adamantly opposes is return of Egyptian authority there under any guise. He frankly hoping for time, having told me this noon that complicated questions surrounding Gaza’s future might require period of two, three or four weeks for study before plan acceptable to important interested parties could be devised.
[Page 173]He has some way to go to restore health to its state before recent bout of pneumonia. Today he showed clearly that to talk is physical strain. When I saw him he completely spent from morning’s Cabinet discussions. I convinced however he will not rest until government position on this issue is formulated.
On leaving Prime Minister’s house Herzog told me he thought by early this evening I could expect copy of instructions they will send to Eban.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/2–1457. Confidential; Priority. Received at 5:17 p.m., February 15. Repeated to Cairo and USUN.↩
- Telegram 778 to Tel Aviv, February 11, contained a summary of the Eban–Dulles conversation of February 11; see Document 77. Telegram 786, February 13, instructed Lawson to discuss with Ben Gurion the points which Dulles had made to Eban.↩
- All ellipses in this document are in the source text.↩