Office of the Historian

609. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State1

Tel Aviv, November 23, 1956—11 p.m.

653. Foreign Ministry official informs Embassy that in conversation with Meir this week Hammarskjold replied to her question by stating UNEF’s functions did not include assuring freedom of transit Suez. He had refused to be drawn into discussion of where this left Israel.

It apparent from reports from their people in New York, he said, that Nasser was dictating what elements General Assembly’s November 2 resolution2 Hammarskjold and UN should attempt to make effective. Hence Hammarskjold’s declared intention to clear Canal physically for navigation while ignoring latter half of resolution’s Article 4 which urges restoration of freedom of transit.

GOI seriously disturbed by apparent United States indifference to trends which would restore Nasser vis-à-vis Canal to status quo ante so that Canal users once again would be at mercy of his caprice.

Lawson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 684A.86/11–2356. Confidential. Received at 6:36 a.m., November 24. Repeated to London, Paris, and USUN.↩
  2. Reference is to General Assembly Resolution 997 (ES–I); see Document 467.↩