Memorandum Urging Israel Halt Farming To Appease Syria
(April 11, 1967)
This telegram urges Israel to halt its cultivation in areas near the demilitarized zone on the
border with Syria, in an
effort to cool tensions between Syria and Israel.
173186. Deliver to action officers immediately on opening of business
April 12.
1. Bunche informed USUN (septel) that he authorized
a Bull (Johnson)/2/ letter be sent to Israelis and Syrians today, April
11, urging early resumption ISMAC meetings and suspension of cultivation
pending outcome of meetings. This move particularly welcome in view
renewed shooting southern DZ this morning and military preparations
apparently being made by both sides which might lead to repetition incident
of April 7 proportions or worse as early as April 12, should Israeli
cultivation probings continue. Although Syrians may have been bloodied
on April 7, it seems unlikely they will desist from further responses
to Israeli plowing. This threatens in turn to cause serious difficulties
for King Hussein in Jordan for whom hostilities between Syria and Israel
present serious internal dilemma. We think UNTSO efforts to defuse situation
should be reinforced.
/2/Acting UNTSO Chief of Staff.
2. Consequently Embassy Tel Aviv authorized approach
GOI at highest level necessary as early as feasible on April 12 in order
to stress our concern at escalating potentialities and broader area
implications of situation and urge GOI resume earlier suspension of
cultivation in troubled areas of DZ and elsewhere along border./3/ Without
attempting judge merits of cultivation issue or in any way condoning
Syrian firing, we believe it essential provide cooling-off period and
give both sides chance to respond to Johnson's letter.
/3/Telegram 3254 from Tel Aviv, April 12, reported
that Barbour discussed this with Eban and Bitan that day. Telegram 174533
to Tel Aviv, April 13, recorded a similar conversation between Davies
and Evron. (Both in National Archives and Records Administration, RG
59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 32-1 ISR-SYR)
Katzenbach
Source: National Archives and Records Administration,
RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POL 32-1 ISR-SYR. Confidential; Immediate.
Drafted by Atherton and Lambrakis; cleared by Houghton, Campbell, and
in draft by Gabriel J. Paolozzi of IO/UNP; and approved by Davies. Also
sent to Amman and repeated to Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, Jerusalem, USUN,
CINCSTRIKE/CINCMEAFSA, and to Secretary Rusk at Punta del Este as Tosec
94.
Sources: Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1964-1968, V. 18, Arab-Israeli
Dispute 1964-1967. DC: GPO,
2000. |