329. Information Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson1
Washington, November 22, 1968, 1:45 p.m.
Mr. President:
If true, this report of Israeli position on Jordan and Allon plan is pretty grim news; and it is probably true.
The following cables report parliamentary debate-indicating Israeli politics getting rough.2
Walt
- Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Israel, Vol. X, Memos, 6/68–11/68. Secret. A handwritten notation indicates that the memorandum was received at 2 p.m.↩
- A list indicates that telegrams 6154, 6186, and 6191 from Tel Aviv were attached. Telegram 6154, November 19, described a debate in the Knesset on November 18 on a speech made by Defense Minister Moshe Dayan calling for the economic integration of the occupied territories into Israel. Telegram 6186, November 21, reported that Dayan and four other members of the Cabinet had taken the position that the Allon plan did not go far enough in incorporating the occupied territories and that its adoption by the Cabinet would lead to their resignations. Telegram 6191, November 21, reported on additional sentiment in the Cabinet in favor of economic integration of the occupied territories. Debate on the issue in the Knesset remained sharp. All of these telegrams are ibid. and in the National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27 ARAB-ISR.↩