Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1964–1967


151. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Arab Republic

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, AID (US) 15 UAR. Confidential. Drafted by Jones; cleared by Davies, Jernegan, Curtis C. Strong of the Congo Working Group, Komer, and Macomber; and approved by Talbot. Repeated to Beirut.


152. Memorandum From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Vol. III. Secret.


153. Memorandum for the Files

Source: Department of State, NEA/IAI Files: Lot 80 D 102, Arms Deals with Israel, Background File. Secret.


154. Telegram From the Embassy in Jordan to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 JORDAN. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to Cairo.


155. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Harriman Israeli Mission (II). Secret. The memorandum bears no drafting information. It was sent to the President with a covering memorandum of February 19 from Bundy noting that a meeting was scheduled for 6:15 p.m. that day. The President met with Ball, Bundy, and Komer between 6:45 and 7:39 p.m. on February 19. (Ibid., President’s Daily Diary) No record of the meeting has been found. Bundy attached a February 19 memorandum from Komer and stated that he shared Komer’s view that the Department of State proposal was “a little heavy on the Jordan side and light on the Israeli’s.”


157. Memorandum From President Johnson to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Harriman) and Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Harold H. Saunders, Israel Security (Harriman/Komer Mission), Feb.–Mar. 1965. Secret. The memorandum bears no drafting information, but another copy is filed with a covering memorandum from Komer to the President, which indicates that Komer drafted the memorandum and had cleared it with Rusk and Ball. Komer added, “With an eye to history (it might get published twenty years after), they toned down some of the flavor of your approach the other night, but I have it firmly in mind for oral use.” (Ibid., Country File, Israel, Vol. IV)


158. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Harriman Israeli Mission (I). Secret; Flash; Exdis. Received at 3:35 p.m. and passed to the White House.


159. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 7 US/HARRIMAN. Secret; Flash; Exdis. Drafted by Talbot and approved by Ball.


160. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66 DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Talbot, Davies, and Ball; cleared by Bromley Smith for the President; and approved by Ball.


161. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 7 US/HARRIMAN. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Received at 3:48 p.m. and passed to the White House.


162. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 7 US/HARRIMAN. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Passed to the White House.


163. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret; Flash; Exdis/Tan. Received at 5:26 p.m.


164. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret; Flash; Exdis/Tan. Received at 6:12 p.m. and passed to the White House and DOD.


165. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret; Flash; Exdis/Tan. Received at 9:58 p.m. and passed to the White House and DOD.


166. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Jernegan and Talbot, cleared by Rusk with the President by telephone, and approved by Rusk. A message to Komer from Bromley Smith, February 28, states that the reply was cleared with the President after he read Harriman’s 3-part message and that the telegram was dictated by Rusk after discussion with the President. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Harriman Israeli Mission (II)) Rusk called the President to call Harriman’s message to his attention and cleared the two amendments with him. (Johnson Library, Recordings and Transcripts, Recording of Telephone Conversations Between Johnson and Rusk, February 28, 1965, 11:12 and 11:37 p.m., Tape F65.09, PNO 5–6)


167. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret; Flash; Exdis. Received at 4:49 p.m. and passed to the White House and DOD.


168. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret; Flash; Exdis/Tan. Received at 7:09 p.m. and passed to the White House.


169. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 7 US/HARRIMAN. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted and approved by Rusk and cleared in substance with the President by Rusk.


170. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Harriman Israeli Mission (I). Secret; Flash; Exdis/Tan. Received at 6:33 a.m. and passed to the White House. A typed copy was sent to the President. (Ibid., Harriman Israeli Mission (II))


171. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 7 US/HARRIMAN. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Jernegan and approved by Rusk in draft. Repeated to Kabul.


172. Message From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Harriman Israeli Mission (I). Secret. Received at the White House at 1728Z.


173. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 7 US/HARRIMAN. Secret; Immediate; Exdis/Tan. Received at 7:28 p.m. on March 1 and passed to the White House.


174. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL ARAB–ISR. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Received at 7:59 a.m. and passed to the White House. Repeated to New Delhi for Harriman.


175. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Talbot and approved and initialed by Rusk.


176. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 33–1 JORDAN RIVER. Secret; Limdis. Drafted by Lucien L. Kinsolving of NEA/NE, cleared by Davies and McGeorge Bundy, and approved by Talbot.


177. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Repeated to Manila for Harriman and passed to the White House. Part Two of Komer’s report, consisting of highlights of his conversation with Eshkol, and Part Three, Comments, were transmitted in telegrams 1124 and 1125 from Tel Aviv, both March 5. (Ibid.) Bundy sent a retyped copy of the three telegrams to the President with a covering memorandum of the same date, noting that it was Komer’s latest report which Johnson would probably want to read, but that there was no need for action until Eshkol’s counter-proposal was received. Bundy added that he shared Komer’s evident conclusion that they had “pressed the Israelis far enough” and it was time to agree that “in the very nature of the situation we are bound to be their last resort for arms supply from here on out,” especially since the only immediate commitment required was for “tanks and ‘a few’ planes.” (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Harriman Israeli Mission (II))


178. Memorandum From the Director of the Office of Near Eastern Affairs (Davies) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Talbot)

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, ORG 7 NEA. Secret. Talbot sent the memorandum to Rusk with a covering memorandum of March 8. Rusk’s initials on the covering memorandum indicate that he read it.


179. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 JORDAN. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Russell and Talbot, cleared by Davies, and approved by Talbot. Repeated to Manila for Harriman.


180. Message From Robert W. Komer of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Harriman Israeli Mission (I). Secret. Received at the White House at 2331Z.