57. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State1
914. In meeting called to discuss UNGA’s February 2 resolutions, Cabinet Sunday reaffirmed GOI’s determination (1) to hold Sinai’s east coast until freedom of navigation Tiran Straits is guaranteed and (2) to retain Gaza strip. Meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Eshkol and decision then taken to Ben Gurion, confined in his home Tel Aviv, who apparently approved it because its general outline does not conflict with his apparent attitude on same issues as I interpreted it last night (Embtel 912).2
At midnight Foreign Minister released supporting communiqués which made following points.
- 1.
- “Israel has noted with appreciation growing understanding of UN reflected both in debate and in second of yesterday’s resolutions, that status quo ante of violence and blockade on part of Egypt must not be restored. At same time it expresses its regret Assembly failed to touch on root of tension in area which is Egypt’s continuing maintenance of state of war against Israel and her infringement in this connection of Charter and of Security Council’s resolutions”.
- 2.
- “In interest its own morality, UN cannot ignore Egypt’s infringements of Security Council’s resolutions and of her primary international obligations by her blockade of Suez Canal and Gulf of Aqaba, and at same time call Israel to withdraw from western coast of Gulf of Aqaba without providing adequate guarantees that present freedom of navigation shall not be upset by Egypt”.
- 3.
- “There cannot be two laws, one for Israel and one for Egypt”.
- 4.
- “Israel adheres firmly to position adopted by Knesset January 23 re Sharm al Sheikh and Gaza (Embtel 889).3 Solution these two questions, involving as they do termination hostile action by Egypt at sea and on land, are prerequisites for peace in ME and vital to Israel’s very existence”.
All early press comment endorsed government’s determination to stand firm. It was announced Herut and General Zionists, both opposition parties, have made statements supporting coalition’s position. Sapir, member of Knesset, and leading member of General Zionist Party, and Abramov, President Israel-America friendship league (in private conversation I had with them Friday, February 1 at their request) predicted this firm attitude on part of GOI with general support of public. They were convinced that GOI resistance to withdrawal IDF from Sinai and Gaza can be expected despite real or implied threats of sanctions but emphasized their opinions not based on any official information.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/2–457. Confidential. Received at 11:34 a.m., February 6. Repeated to Amman, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem, and USUN.↩
- Supra.↩
- In telegram 889 from Tel Aviv, January 24, Lawson reported that during a major foreign policy speech to the Knesset on January 22, Ben Gurion made the following points: (1) Israel had no interest in acquiring the west coast of Eilat Straits, but the IDF would continue to safeguard free navigation until satisfactory arrangements could be made; (2) Egyptian influence could not be restored in the Gaza Strip; (3) the Egyptian-Israeli General Armistice Agreement was “violated and broken beyond repair”; and (4) Israel must insist upon demilitarization of the entire Sinai Peninsula. The Knesset subsequently adopted a resolution supporting these points and making, according to Lawson, “one and two even more emphatically than Ben Gurion”. (Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/1–2457)↩