At request Sharett I met with him in Jerusalem
to receive comments in reply to Secretary's message [- - -] and to hear
anything he might care to say about last night's retaliatory raid in Gaza. [- -
-] He left special Knesset session for half hour to give me the following:
He
attached full importance to Secretary's personal message and wanted him to know
that it receiving serious consideration. At time message received Israel troops
already cross Gaza border. But now, Israel "not engaged in firing"
and would not resume firing unless Egypt provoked such action. He referred to
my visit to him on August 28 [- - -] when I told him of strong hope of US
Government that GOI would not permit Egyptian actions August 25 to start
vicious circle reprisals and counter-reprisals. At the time I had expressed
hope that GOI was holding up action on Gaza border to await indicative actions
by Egypt as next two or three nights might give direct reflection our
counseling to Nasser to abandon aggressive program. He said during that period
of time that there was in fact no retaliation. Now, Israel plans to make no
further military reprisals unless Egyptians engage in provoking actions and
serious sabotage and murder incidents in Israel continue. He expressed hope
that some means could be found whereby all provoking actions could be stopped
and to that end had sent direct to Nasser two proposals [- - -] via Elmore
Jackson. (He confirmed substance of the proposals as described in reference
telegram as I repeated them to him). In reply to my reference your feeling as
expressed final paragraph Department telegram 166 and in obvious effort to
underscore the sincerity of his desire to find an effective formula, he dwelt
at some length on the continued and varied means he had used to send messages
to Nasser in past with regard to Israel's genuine desire to end trouble on the
border. He named several members of British Parliament who acted as
intermediaries and referred to occasions on which he had described to me his
desires and efforts along that line, with implication that Israel position must
have been transmitted to Nasser through our Embassy Cairo. He said he was still
at loss to understand why Nasser has initiated incidents and permitted the
operation of Egyptian gangs of trained saboteurs in Israel. In response to my
final question he again declared firmly that Israel plans no further
retaliatory actions unless Egypt provokes them.
He
seemed impressed with fact you had telephoned personally.
SOURCE: FRUS 1955-1957,
doc.254.
