Telegram from Israeli Foreign Minister Meir Explaining Israeli Attitude Toward Refugees
(November 1, 1961)
Foreign Minister Meir relates Israel's attitude toward the upcoming Palestinian Conciliation
Commission report and Israel's desire to solve the refugee problem.
Tel Aviv, November 1, 1961, noon.
/1/Source: Department of State, Central Files, 325.84/11-161. Confidential.
Repeated to USUN.
307. In conversation with Assistant Secretary Talbot and myself, Foreign
Minister Meir expressed doubt as to usefulness of forthcoming PCC report
but indicated Israel's readiness to cooperate with this approach if
"others" saw promise of progress./2/ She went on, however,
to stress that one thing Israel could never accept was inclusion of
"free choice" in whatever recommendations might be made. Realized
US would not deliberately support any program clearly inimical to Israel's
security, but "good intentions not always enough".
/2/Also on November 1 in New York, Israeli Minister Gazit delivered
a more detailed presentation of Israeli concerns about the Johnson mission
during a meeting with Joseph Sisco (IO/UNP). Gazit emphasized Israeli
concern over "methods of procedure" in the PCC report, insisting
that these be kept general and that Israel be allowed to review the
report before it was made public. (Ibid.)
I stated assumption that even if phrase "free choice" omitted
report could be expected at least to contain more generalized reference
to pertinent UN resolutions and expressed hope such reference would
not evoke negative Israeli reaction. Without giving clear-cut answer,
Mrs. Meir stressed objection to sifting out and concentrating on individual
passages in resolutions. Assistant Secretary Talbot observed that in
formulating US position on refugee issue, we would be mindful of Kennedy-Ben-Gurion
conversation in New York, with which she agreed.
Barbour
Sources: Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1961-1963: Near East, 1962-1963,
V. XVIII. DC: GPO,
2000. |