Israel Cautioned on Nuclear Program
(July 28, 1966)
This telegram summarizes a discussion between the
State Department and the Government of Israel about Israel's nuclear program. In it, the United States urged Israel
to accept IAEA supervision to reduce tension and have the Arab countries
follow. The United States mentioned that Israel will not have U.S. support
if it goes nuclear.
Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy
in Israel/1/
Washington, July 28, 1966, 8:39 p.m.
17501. After discussion Israeli proposal on refugee
problem (State 16922),/2/ Secretary raised question of Israeli nuclear
intentions. He noted Soviet interest in denuclearization and said that
if Israel would agree to IAEA safeguards, he believed its Arab neighbors
would also agree and USSR would go along. Would Israel agree to IAEA
safeguards, he asked.
Ambassador Rafael said Israel was not giving any thought
to it at present because of GOI's concern for broader problem of conventional
weapons. Rafael said Soviets did not indicate to Israelis in Geneva
they would be willing to limit conventional arms in area in exchange
for nuclear ban. He added Israel made clear its position it would not
be first to introduce nuclear weapons in Near East.
Secretary noted our assumption GOI does not wish go nuclear, and added:
If you do, you will lose US support. If on the other hand, you accepted
nuclear ban, he continued, your neighbors would follow you and that
would be first step toward reduction of tensions. Secretary said we
cannot guarantee USSR interested in conventional arms limitation, but
nuclear question can be separated out and that consideration is fundamental
to US position.
Secretary then told Israelis that nothing would be more disastrous
to GOI than enter nuclear weapon field, and urged them to agree to international
safeguards. When Rafael protested nuclear ban does not take care of
GOI's problem with conventional weapons, Secretary said: This means
then you want to hang on to the threat of nuclear weapons. Rafael said
no, GOI has made position clear in Knesset, but there are some people
in Israel--not in govt--who say Israel should go nuclear.
Secretary said either this card is in your deck, or it is not. If it's
not, then get it out of the way by accepting safeguards. He again noted
that if Israel is holding open the nuclear option, it should forget
US support. We would not be with you, he said.
Secretary asked Israel to bring this matter to attention of Eban. They
suggested it might be discussed further while Eban is in US for GA.
Rusk
/1/Source: National Archives and Records
Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964-66, DEF 12 ISR. Secret; Exdis.
Drafted by Campbell, cleared by Symmes and Sisco, and approved and initialed
by Rusk. Repeated to Geneva for Goldberg.
/2/Document 310.
Sources: Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1964-1968, V. 20, Arab-Israeli Dispute
1967-1968. DC: GPO,
2001. |