Israeli PM Ben-Gurion
Requests Meeting With Kennedy
(April 13, 1961)
SUBJECT
Prime Minister Ben-Gurion's Request for an Appointment with the President
PARTICIPANTS
The Secretary
Ambassador Avraham Harman of Israel
Mordechai Gazit, Minister, Embassy of Israel
NEA--Assistant Secretary G. Lewis Jones
NEA/NE--William L. Hamilton
Ambassador Harman informed the Secretary that Prime
Minister Ben-Gurion hopes to have an early opportunity to talk with
the President to discuss and clarify a number of subjects of current
importance to Israel, including security questions and Israel's atomic
energy program. According to the Ambassador, the Prime Minister could
make the visit as early as the week of April 23. He has had the possibility
of such a visit in mind for some time, but has delayed suggesting it
because of his awareness of the heavy demands on the President.
The Secretary said he would try to find an opportunity
to discuss the proposal with the President, pointing out, however, that
at least until the end of the first week of June the President's schedule
is virtually filled. With reference to Ambassador Harman's suggestion
that the visit might be as early as the week of April 23, the Secretary
observed that the atmosphere might not be completely favorable for a
meeting so soon after the Security Council's expression of disapproval
of Israel's parade to be held April 20./2/
/2/A paper prepared by Hamilton for possible use by
the Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs on April 14 contained
a series of arguments against the proposed Kennedy-Ben Gurion meeting.
(Ibid., NEA/IAI Files: Lot 70 D 304, Ben Gurion Visit 1961)
The Secretary added that an official invitation would
be difficult because it is the practice to issue them considerably in
advance. He observed that most of the many statesmen recently received
or who are expected in the next few months were or will be in Washington
on other missions.
Ambassador Harman said that this would not be of concern
to Prime Minister Ben-Gurion, who would be content if arrangements and
circumstances of the visit were decided according to the President's
wishes.
/1/Source: Department of
State, Central Files, 033.84A11/4-1361. Secret.
Drafted by Hamilton on April 17 and approved
in S on May 18. The time is taken from Secretary
Rusk's Appointment Book. (Johnson Library)
The source text is labeled "Part I of
III." Jones forwarded two briefing memoranda
to Rusk in preparation for this meeting.
(Ibid., 033.84A11/4-1161)
Sources: Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1961-1963: Near East, 1962-1963,
V. XVIII. DC: GPO,
2000. |