Office of the Historian

237. Memorandum From the President’s Special Consultant (Bundy) to the Special Committee of the National Security Council1

Washington, June 9, 1967.

I. Interim Policy on Military and Economic Pipelines to the Middle East

1.

Military

No materials that we can still control will be allowed to get to any country which has broken relations with us, or to Lebanon or Jordan, until further notice. Materials already authorized for delivery to other Middle Eastern countries are not to be interrupted at this time.

2.

Economic Assistance

The same rules will apply as for military goods except that economic assistance shipments to Jordan and Lebanon will not be interrupted for the present.

3.

PL 480 Shipments

Foods shipped under Title II and Title III will not be interrupted at all. It is understood that there are no shipments under Title I or Title IV to any countries that have broken relations with us.

4.
The Departments of State and Defense will be ready to offer further recommendations, if necessary, for consideration by the Special Committee on Monday together with a simple and more general public statement for public use when necessary.

II. Members of the Special Committee may wish to take note of the President’s judgment that in the current situation it is wise not to treat all the Arab countries as if they were identical in behavior or policy.

III. It was agreed that the Department of State will take the strong and firm line which is appropriate in requesting adequate explanation, restitution, and disciplinary action by Israel for the destruction of lives and property on USS Liberty.

McGeorge Bundy
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Special Committee No. 1, 6/7/67–6/30/67. Secret.↩