Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1957, Volume XVII

128. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission at the United Nations¹

Washington, February 21, 1957—6:50 p.m.

653. Verbatim text. Following draft text resolution dealing with Israeli withdrawal transmitted for your comment and not to be discussed with any other delegation:

“The General Assembly

Conscious of the purpose of the United Nations, expressed in Article 1 of the Charter, to suppress acts of aggression and other breaches of the peace and to bring about the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law;

Noting that² Israel has since 29 October, 1956, violated, with military force, the territorial integrity of Egypt and occupied by force the Gaza Strip in breach of the Charter and in disregard of the repeated efforts of the United Nations to bring about Israel’s withdrawal behind the Armistice line;

Condemns this persistent breach of the Charter by Israel;

Renews its call upon Israel promptly to withdraw behind the Armistice line;

Calls upon all governments, while Israel remains in forcible occupation of territory not its own, to withhold assistance to Israel, and in general so to regulate their peaceful intercourse with Israel as to bring about respect for the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the recommendations of this General Assembly calling for withdrawal;

Urges the parties concerned to cooperate with the Secretary General in giving effect, immediately upon the withdrawal of Israel, to the provisions of its resolution II of 2 February 1957 concerning the placing of the United Nations Emergency Force on the Egyptian-Israeli Armistice demarcation line and the implementation of other measures proposed in the Secretary General’s report of 24 January 1957, with a view to assist in achieving situations conducive to the maintenance of peaceful conditions in the area;

Pledges itself, when Israel has withdrawn, to assist the parties concerned to achieve by peaceful means the settlement of outstanding disputes between them, in conformity with the principles of justice and international law;

Requests the Advisory Committee, established by the General Assembly Resolution of November 7, 1956, to consider and recommend to this General Assembly from time to time, if need be in special session, the further measures appropriate to achieve the objectives of this Resolution.”

Dulles

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/2–2157. Secret; Priority; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Wilcox; cleared by Dulles, Rountree, and Phleger; approved by Wilcox who signed for Dulles.
2. A copy of the text of the draft resolution contained in telegram 653 is in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, Dulles–Herter Series. At this point in the White House copy, Eisenhower in his own hand inserted the phrase “after many months of raids and counter raids along the Israel-Egyptian border” and wrote next to it in the margin: “some addition like this?”