Office of the Historian

431. Telegram From the Embassy in Jordan to the Department of State1

Amman, July 7, 1956—4 p.m.

19. King Hussein granted me interview two o’clock today at my request. I reminded him his recent conversation with tripartite representatives and his request that serious view he took Israeli intentions be passed on our respective governments.2 I noted that all reports we had, including those of Embassy Tel Aviv and UNTSO indicated no evidence available unusual troop movements in Israel or signs of [Page 785] aggressive build–up there. I emphasized our keen interest in peace in this area and our hope there would be no provocation either by words or deeds likely to upset the situation on the border. (Deptels 133 and 144).

The King thanked me, assured me Jordan Government and Army exercising all possible restraint at this time and stated there would be no provocative words or deeds insofar as he was concerned. Hussein went on to say recent events had shown Jordan ready to defend self and interests of Arabs. He said he had been deeply disturbed by information passed on to him by General Burns along with reports he had received of two and half Israeli brigades moving into Jerusalem area plus removal of certain strategic mine fields there. Because of these factors he had felt it necessary to put his army into advanced defensive positions, to ask Arab neighbors stand ready assist in emergency and inform American, British and French friends of danger he believed threatening Jordan. King admitted these were unusual steps but he felt they had been justified by fact that Israeli aggression had not occurred. Said he was grateful for interest and help of USG in this crisis. In reply to my question the King stated there were evidences of lessening tension on border and he hoped crisis was about over.5

Sanger
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85/7–756. Secret; Priority. Received at 1:10 p.m. Repeated to Ankara, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Damascus, London, and priority to Tel Aviv.↩
  2. See Document 421.↩
  3. See footnote 8, supra.↩
  4. Telegram 14 to Amman, July 5, instructed Sanger, if there were any evidence of troop movements on the border, to approach Jordanian officials at the highest level to point out the dangers. (Department of State, Central Files, 684A.85/7–556)↩
  5. Telegram 22 from Amman, July 9, reported that there had been no border incidents or troop movements over the weekend. (Ibid., 684A.85/7–956)↩