Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXV, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1973

102. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassies in Jordan and Saudi Arabia¹

Washington, October 6, 1973, 1233Z.

199583. Subj:Message From Secretary to King Faisal and King Hussein.

1. Please send following oral message to King Faisal and King Hussein from Secretary of State Kissinger:

“Your Majesty:

We have just received the report from the Israelis that Egyptian and Syrian forces are planning a coordinated attack within the next several hours.² We have urged the Israelis not to launch any preemptive attack. I have spoken with the Egyptian Foreign Minister to urge that his government refrain from launching any attack which could lead to serious consequences. We have also discussed this matter on a most urgent basis with the Soviets.³

I ask Your Majesty to intervene immediately with Presidents Sadat and Assad and urge that no such attack be launched on their part. We believe this is a time for restraint, not only because of the obvious dangers that are involved but because it is important to maintain conditions which will make it possible in the days ahead to pursue a peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.”⁴

Rush

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 659, Country Files, Middle East, [Computer Cables—Mideast War—1], October 1973. Top Secret; Sensitive; Flash; Immediate. Repeated Niact Immediate to Cairo, Moscow, Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Immediate to USUN as Tosec 141.
2. See Document 99.
3. See Documents 100 and 101.
4. In telegram 5335 from Amman, October 6, Graham reported that he had delivered the Secretary’s message to Hussein at 3:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. Washington time). The King said he appreciated the spirit in which the message had been sent, but that it was unfortunately too late. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 27 ARAB–ISR) Faisal made public his reply in which he claimed that the Arabs had never committed any aggression against Israel. It had always been Israel that began aggression and this attack was “a link in the chain of the Israeli policy designed to implement the expansionist plan as part of her aggressive policy against the Arab countries.” (FBIS 113, October 6; ibid., NSC Files, Nixon Presidential Materials, Box 1173, Harold H. Saunders Files, Middle East Negotiations Files, 1973 War, 6 October, 1973—File No. 1 [1 of 2]) In telegram 1486 from Tel Aviv, October 6, the Defense Attaché reported that at 1200Z (8 a.m. Washington time and 2 p.m. local time), Syria and Egypt launched air and artillery attacks in the Golan Heights and Sinai. (Ibid., Box 659, Country Files, Middle East, [Computer Cables—Mideast War—1], October 1973)