Office of the Historian

77. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, May 7, 1959, 4:30 p.m.1

Washington, May 7, 1959, 4:30 p.m.

SUBJECT

  • United States–Israel Relations

PARTICIPANTS

  • Mr. Abba Eban, Ambassador, Embassy of Israel
  • Mr. Moshe Erell, Counselor, Embassy of Israel
  • NEA—William M. Rountree
  • NE—William L. Hamilton

Ambassador Eban said that as his assignment in Washington draws to a close, he becomes increasingly convinced that the primary fact of the United States-Israel relationship is that the influences drawing the two governments together are more fundamental than [Page 172] those imposing a strain on it. The difficulty is that the Israelis are not aware of the great area of understanding and cooperation that exists in which matters are treated unobtrusively, and often in confidence, while the points of friction are of a character to be known almost inevitably. As a result the average Israeli has an exaggerated impression of the differences between the two governments and no real understanding of the true character of the relationship.

He felt the remedy might lie in a re-statement by the United States of its principles regarding Israel. If an opportunity could be found for American leadership to reaffirm U.S. friendship for Israel and a determined interest in the preservation of the independence of Israel, as well as of the other states of the area, the occasional points of friction would be viewed in a better perspective. The irritants would be recognized for what they are, superficial and transient, and insignificant by contrast with the favorable character of the relationship as a whole.

Mr. Rountree agreed that a better sense of proportion is something to be desired in viewing foreign relationships. He cited as an example the press treatment of the question of Special Assistance to Israel in FY 1960, which suggested that the very existence of the relationship depended on whether we extended a mere $7.5 million in assistance. Mr. Rountree commented that preoccupation with an insignificant facet of the whole so often created the most grotesque concept of the real state of an international relationship which was eminently satisfactory to all parties concerned.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.84A/5–759. Confidential. Drafted by Hamilton. A briefing paper for the conversation is ibid.,NEA Files: Lot 61 D 43, Tel Aviv. See also infra.↩