Editorial Note on Israeli
Opposition to the Johnson Plan
(September 21, 1962)
This is an editorial note concerning Israeli opposition to the Johnson
Plan.
On September 20, 1962, Israeli Acting Foreign Minister
Abba Eban informed Ambassador Barbour of reactions to the Johnson Plan
expressed at a meeting of the Israeli Cabinet on September 16. The consensus
of the meeting, according to Eban, was that Johnson's plan was the worst
of all plans dealing with the refugee question and gave the greatest
support to repatriation. Eban also told Barbour that the plan lacked
integrity and realism, because it offered contradictory things to each
side, that is, free choice to Arabs and final say on acceptance to Israel.
(Telegram 304 from Tel Aviv, September 21; Department of State, Central
Files, 325.84/9-2162)
During the evening of September 20 in New York, Feldman met for dinner
at the apartment of Abraham Feinberg, Chairman of the Bonds for Israel
Committee in the United States, with Israeli Foreign Minister Meir,
Ambassador Harman, and Philip Klutznick of the U.S. Delegation to the
United Nations. Meir informed the gathering of Israel's unalterable
opposition to the Johnson Plan, which she said challenged Israel's sovereignty
and had a pro-Arab bias. She declared the plan to be non-negotiable.
According to Feldman's account of the meeting, he urged her to discuss
Israel's specific differences over the plan with Johnson. (Memorandum
of conversation, September 20; ibid., 325.84/2062)
During the afternoon of September 21 in New York, Foreign Minister
Meir met with Joseph Johnson to deliver Israel's response to his proposals.
Among other points, she said that the plan was shocking to Israel and
that its whole basis was unacceptable. The U.S. Mission in New York
transmitted an account of this conversation to the Department of State
in telegram 857, September 21. (Ibid., 325.84/9-2162) See the Supplement,
the compilation on the Arab-Israeli dispute.
Later that day in Washington, Ambassador Harman officially informed
Talbot that Meir had told Johnson that his proposals, given to Israel
on August 31, were not negotiable. According to a memorandum recording
the exchange with Harmon, "The Ambassador said he had also been
asked to say that:
"1. The nature of Dr. Johnson's proposals came as a complete surprise
since they were not compatible with the talks which took place between
Dr. Johnson and Israel in the past.
"2. Dr. Johnson's proposals are incompatible, also, with past
discussions between the United States and Israeli governments.
"3. In the light of the foregoing and U.S. assurances on this
issue, Israel strongly hopes that the United States, as a PCC member,
will reject the Johnson proposals, take all necessary steps to PCC rejection
and preclude the PCC's giving further currency or circulation to them."
(Memorandum, September 21, attached to memorandum from Talbot to Rusk,
September 20; Department of State, Central Files, 325.84/9-2062)
On September 21, at President Kennedy's request, Captain Tazewell Shepard,
the President's Naval Aide, obtained a report from Feldman on Johnson
Plan developments. Shepard reported that during the previous day Feldman
had met with Meir, Joseph Johnson, and three groups of Jewish community
leaders from Boston and New York and that Feldman "cannot stress
too strongly his firm conviction that the faster you disengage from
this plan the better. Otherwise he feels there will be a violent eruption
both domestically and in our relations with Israel." Shepard added
that "Feldman has suggestions as to how this should be done which
he is prepared to discuss with you." (Memorandum from Shepard to
the President, September 21; Kennedy Library, National Security Files,
Countries Series, Palestine, Refugees, Vol. II, 8/62-9/62) A handwritten
note by Shepard on his memorandum indicates that Kennedy subsequently
talked with Feldman and that Kennedy had a Komer memorandum (presumably
that of September 22, Document 52) that took a contrary position.
An undated handwritten note from Schlesinger to Kennedy sent at approximately
this time reads: "Apparently we are again going to have trouble
at the U.N. on the Israeli matter. A large delegation of Jewish leaders
called on me today expressing concern about the situation. Would you
have a few minutes after lunch to talk about this? We ought to avoid
a repetition of last year's problem with Adlai." (Ibid., President's
Office Files, Countries Series, Israel)
Sources: Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1961-1963: Near East, 1962-1963,
V. XVIII. DC: GPO,
2000. |