Postwar Diplomacy, June 11–September 30, 1967


413. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Confidential; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Sisco on August 10. Cleared by Battle and James W. Pratt (EUR/SOV), approved by Eugene Rostow, and repeated to Moscow and Tel Aviv.


414. Special National Intelligence Estimate

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, Job 79–R01012A, ODDI Registry of NIE and SNIE Files. Secret; Controlled Dissem. According to the cover sheet, the estimate was submitted by the Director of Central Intelligence, and concurred in by the U.S. Intelligence Board on August 10. The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State and Defense and National Security Agency participated in its preparation. The CIA, State, Defense, and NSA representatives on the USIB concurred; the AEC and FBI representatives abstained because the subject was outside their jurisdiction.


415. Memorandum From the President’s Special Consultant (Bundy) to President Johnson

Source: Johnson Library, President’s Daily Diary. Secret. The memorandum is marked to be sent through Walt Rostow, but Rostow did not initial it. A handwritten “L” on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Confidential. Drafted by Lambrakis on August 11; cleared by Atherton, Houghton, and Grey; and approved by Davies. Repeated to Jerusalem, Amman, Beirut, and London.


417. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR/UN. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Sisco and Brown, cleared by David L. Gamon (NEA/ARN), and approved by Sisco. Repeated to London, Tel Aviv, and Moscow.


418. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Files of Harold H. Saunders, Israel, 6/1/67–10/31/67. Secret; Nodis. The memorandum is filed with a covering memorandum of August 17 from Saunders to Battle stating that Bundy “did not want any papers to circulate on the arrangement he made with Evron on the $3 million release” but that Saunders thought Battle should “have the flavor of the attached and then throw this memo away.”


419. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk and Secretary of Defense McNamara to President Johnson

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, DEF 19–8 US–NEAR E. Secret; Nodis.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated to London, Moscow, and USUN. Received at 1042Z. Saunders sent a retyped copy to the President with an August 18 memorandum noting that it was the Israeli answer to Goldberg’s discussion of a possible UN resolution. He commented that a notion of impending confrontation was creeping into U.S.-Israeli conversations and added: “Some Israelis remember 1957 when we eventually put the heat on them to withdraw, and they see our military aid suspension as evidence that we may be preparing a similar move this time. The ugliness of the threat in paragraph 12 [paragraph 11 in the original telegram] suggests that they expect the worst.” A handwritten note from Rostow on the memorandum recommended that the President read the full text of the telegram. A handwritten “L” on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Middle East Crisis)


421. Telegram From the U.S. Interests Section of the Spanish Embassy in the United Arab Republic to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Secret; Exdis. Received at 1451Z.


422. Special National Intelligence Estimate

Source: Central Intelligence Agency Files, Job 79–R01012A, ODDI Registry of NIE and SNIE Files. Secret; Controlled Dissem. Submitted by the Director of Central Intelligence and concurred in by the U.S. Intelligence Board on August 17. The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of the Departments of State and Defense and National Security Agency participated in its preparation. The CIA, State, Defense, and NSA representatives on the USIB concurred; the AEC and FBI representatives abstained, because the subject was outside their jurisdiction. The title on the first page is “The Situation and Prospects in the UAR”; the title used is from the cover sheet.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR/UN. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Popper, cleared by Battle, and approved by Eugene Rostow. Also sent Immediate to London, Moscow, and USUN.


424. Draft Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Battle) to the Under Secretary of State (Katzenbach)

Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330 72 A 2468, Middle East, 385.3. Confidential. Drafted by Wehmeyer; cleared by Macomber, Deputy Legal Adviser Murray J. Belman, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Dixon Donnelley, and Eugene Rostow. The draft, which is a copy sent to the Department of Defense for clearance, is filed with an August 22 letter from Nitze to Representative George H. Mahon of Texas, sending him on a confidential basis a copy of the report of the judge who presided over the preliminary Israeli inquiry into the attack on the Liberty. Also attached are a note to Nitze stating that Defense clearance on Battle’s memorandum was requested, an August 21 memorandum from Nitze’s military assistant, Commander C.A.H. Trost, USN, to Warnke saying that Nitze had no objection to the proposal but wanted Warnke to look at it, and an August 21 memorandum from Warnke to Nitze questioning recommendation (6) but otherwise approving the proposal. A handwritten comment by Hoopes on Warnke’s memorandum suggested deleting recommendation (7) but otherwise concurred.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Confidential. Repeated to Amman, Beirut, Jerusalem, London, and USUN.


426. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Certain Posts

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 7 SUDAN. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Eugene Rostow, Sterner, Davies, and James E. Akins of the Office of Fuels and Energy and approved by Eugene Rostow. Sent to Amman, Beirut, Jidda, and Kuwait and repeated to Cairo, USUN, London, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem.


427. Memorandum From the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Secretary of Defense McNamara

Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330 72 A 2468, Israel, 400. Secret.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 7 SUDAN. Secret; Priority; NATUS; Limdis. Drafted by Betty-Jane Jones in the Office of United Nations Political Affairs on August 25, cleared by Popper and Davies, and approved by Eugene Rostow. Also sent Priority to Beirut, Jidda, and Kuwait and repeated to Cairo, USUN, London, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem.


429. Telegram From the Department of State to the U.S. Interests Section of the Spanish Embassy in the United Arab Republic

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Secret; Limdis. Drafted by Parker and Eugene Rostow on August 25; cleared by Davies, Battle, and Popper; and approved by Rostow.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Secret; Exdis. Repeated to London, Moscow, and USUN.


431. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Middle East Crisis, Vol. IX. Secret. Rostow sent the memorandum to the President at 4:45 p.m. A handwritten “L” on the covering note indicates the President saw it. Copies were also sent to McPherson, Saunders, and the Department of State.


432. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Department of State, NEA Files: Lot 71 D 287, Middle East Crisis (3). Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Battle. Filed with a covering memorandum of August 31 from Battle to Walsh.


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

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Lambrakis on August 30; cleared by Bahti, Wehmeyer, and Davies; and approved by Katzenbach.


434. Telegram From the U.S. Interests Section of the Spanish Embassy in the United Arab Republic to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL UAR–US. Secret; Limdis.


435. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Secret; Limdis. Repeated to USUN and Tel Aviv. Received at 2150Z.


436. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson

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


437. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Vol. VII. Secret. Drafted by Saunders.


438. Notes of a National Security Council Meeting

Source: Johnson Library, Meeting Notes File, NSC Meetings. Secret. Prepared by Assistant to the President Jim R. Jones. The President joined the meeting at 12:32 p.m. and departed at 12:58 p.m.; the notes record only that part of the meeting. Notes of the entire meeting by Bromley Smith are ibid., National Security File, NSC Files, NSC Meetings, Vol. V, Tab 57; and by Nathaniel Davis are ibid., Agency File, United Nations, Vol. VIII.


439. Memorandum From Harold Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow)

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


440. Letter From President Johnson to President Tito

Source: Johnson Library, Special Head of State Correspondence File, Yugoslavia—President Correspondence. No classification marking. Telegram 38996, September 18, which transmitted the text of the letter to Belgrade indicates that it was drafted by Arthur R. Day (UNP). (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR) Telegram 917 from Belgrade, September 20, indicates that the Charge delivered the letter that day. Tito stated that he had visited the Middle East in the hope of convincing the Arabs of the necessity of seeking a political solution. He thought he had succeeded, although it was “no easy task” to convince Arab leaders on this point. He further stated that he had told the Arab leaders that Israel was a reality from which one must proceed. (Ibid.)


441. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Rostow) to Secretary of State Rusk

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Secret. Copies were sent to Katzenbach, Kohler, Harriman, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Joseph Palmer II, Assistant Secretary for European Affairs John M. Leddy, Battle, Hughes, Sisco, Meeker, Chairman of the Policy Planning Council Henry D. Owen, Julius C. Holmes, who was heading a special State-Defense Study Group on the region, Walt Rostow, Goldberg, and pouched to London, Tel Aviv, Cairo, Amman, and Paris NATUS.


442. Telegram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB–ISR. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Repeated Priority to Tel Aviv. A retyped copy of this telegram was sent to the President with a covering note from Walt Rostow commenting that it was “a pretty full portrait of Israel’s frame of mind at the moment.” (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Vol. VII)