Office of the Historian

316. Letter From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Hare) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Hoopes)1

Washington, August 22, 1966.

Dear Tim:

We have given careful consideration to your letter of June 302 regarding certain weapons and components requested by the Government of Israel in connection with the A–4F package.

I continue to agree with you that the United States should stand by the decision that the Sidewinder 1–C air-to-air missile, the Bullpup B air-to-ground missile, the Rockeye II cluster anti-tank weapon and the tail warning radar should be refused to Israel on general policy grounds. I also remain of the opinion that we should continue to avoid specifying to the Israelis reasons for our refusal to comply with their requests. As I mentioned in my letter of August 1,3 we see no requirement in discussion of their requests to distinguish between “military” and “security” as opposed to “political” or other considerations and in fact see obvious disadvantages in making such distinctions.

It is our opinion that, as with the four items mentioned above, the United States should also refuse to sell napalm bombs and fuzes to Israel on general policy grounds. This is a type of weapon that raises particularly sensitive reactions among the Arabs, as among others. I am not convinced by the arguments advanced thus far by the Israelis that we should provide even limited quantities of napalm equipment. To provide napalm after Israeli use of it in the July 14 retaliatory raid on Syria and the August 15 incident with Syria would indeed risk substantial political liabilities in our relations with the Arabs.

Sincerely,

Raymond A. Hare 4
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, DEF 12–5 ISR. Secret. Drafted by Wolle on August 18 and cleared by Symmes, Padelford of NEA/RA, and Warren of G/PM.↩
  2. Not found.↩
  3. Hare’s August 1 letter to Hoopes, concerning an Israeli request to produce military equipment for the A–4 aircraft, agreed that there was no objection to Israeli production of non-lethal stores and fittings but that the United States should refuse authorization for Israeli production of any lethal items. (Washington National Records Center, RG 330, ISA Files: FRC 70 A 6648, 452.1 Israel)↩
  4. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩