Office of the Historian

296. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel1

Washington, October 30, 1968, 2120Z.

263978. Subj: Jarring Mission.

1. You should convey urgently to Eban our growing conviction that if he does not bring to New York more specific position for UAR on withdrawal, Jarring mission doomed. You should follow line taken [Page 583] by Sisco with Tekoah in New York on October 29 (USUN 7434).2 Suggest you also draw on Hart’s talk with Riad on same day (USUN 7435)3 in which Riad made clear his deep skepticism re Israeli intentions and his unwillingness to remain in New York unless Israelis began to make specific proposals. You should again stress need for GOI to give most serious consideration to kind of reply we have suggested.

Rusk
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB-ISR. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Day (IO), cleared by Hart, and approved by Sisco. Repeated to Amman, Cairo, and USUN.↩
  2. Israeli Permanent Representative Tekoah told Sisco on October 29 that Eban was expected to return to New York on November 3. Sisco urged Israel to rise above the military incidents occurring along the Suez Canal and offer the UAR specific proposals relating to Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory. Sisco argued that if Eban returned to New York without such proposals, the end of the Jarring Mission was in sight. (Telegram 7434 from USUN, October 30; ibid.)↩
  3. Dated October 30. (Ibid.)↩