392. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel1
194130. Subject: Possible Move of Prime Minister Begin’s Office to East Jerusalem.
1. Confidential-entire text.
2. The Secretary is deeply disturbed by the continuing reports that Begin intends to move his office in the near future to East Jerusalem. Please deliver the following oral message from him to Foreign Minister Shamir directly.2 In conveying this message, you should make clear our intention to keep this exchange confidential.
3. Begin text:
I am asking Ambassador Lewis to deliver to you today this message about the continuing reports indicating that Prime Minister Begin intends to move his office to East Jerusalem in the near future. As a long-standing friend of Israel, I feel I have to be absolutely candid with you. Such a move in my judgment would have seriously adverse consequence for both our countries. As you know, since Camp David both of us have devoted intensive efforts to conducting the autonomy negotiations, designed to open a new chapter in relations between Israel and her neighbors. I know that you share our firm commitment to bringing these negotiations to a positive outcome, building further on the significant steps toward peace which we already have taken.
At Camp David we agreed to leave the issue of Jerusalem for the future. This was the wise and correct decision, given the unique significance of Jerusalem to all concerned. The move of the Prime Minister’s office to East Jerusalem at this sensitive stage in the negotiations would not be a matter only affecting Israel; it would affect all of us. I am concerned that such a move would create very grave problems for our common negotiating effort.
I therefore urge you to discuss this matter most carefully with the Prime Minister and sincerely hope that the Government of Israel will decide not to proceed with such a move. We have gone far together in [Page 1318] our search for peace in these years; I know that both of us want to persevere until we bring our efforts to a successful conclusion. End text.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P880143–1203. Confidential; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by J.L. Hirsch (NEA/IAI); cleared by Sterner, Saunders, and Jane E. Becker (S/S–O); approved by Muskie. Sent for information Immediate to Cairo and the White House.↩
- Lewis delivered the message to Shamir on July 23. (Telegram 13467 from Tel Aviv, July 23; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P880143–1176)↩