Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XVIII, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1964–1967

324. Memorandum of Conversation¹

SecDel/MC/39

New York, October 5, 1966, 3:45–5:10 p.m.

SUBJECT

• Arab-Israeli Problem

PARTICIPANTS

• U.S.
  • The Secretary
  • Wm. L. Simmons (NEA)
• Iraq
  • H. E. Adnan M. Pachachi, Minister for Foreign Affairs
  • H. E. Nasir Hani, Ambassador to the United States

The Minister said there was a feeling in the Arab world that the method of US approach to the Palestine question had undergone a change in the last three years. When asked for specifics by the Secretary, the Minister cited the aircraft and tank deals with Israel. While he recognized the US position that this was done to equalize Soviet aid to Arab states, he disagreed with the belief that there could ever be a balance between the Israeli nation of two million people and the Arab community of nations. He also said that the Arabs had not been fully informed of the arms deal and he found the timing extraordinary. The announcement of the most recent arms delivery to Israel shortly after Kosygin had visited Cairo made it appear that the US was pro-Israeli and the USSR pro-Arab. He said that there was an impression throughout the Arab world that the present administration is less concerned with Arab sensibilities than the previous administration.

The Secretary said the arms problem in the Middle East is triangular: The USSR arms aid is substantial to Egypt; this in turn causes anxiety among the UAR’s Arab neighbors and in Israel. The US earnestly desires some regional understanding on arms levels in the Middle East but neither Cairo nor the Soviet Union has indicated any interest. We understand that the US cannot balance off all the powers in the Middle East; however, we have felt that US action was necessary from time to time for psychological reasons. The Minister said that Soviet arms provided the UAR, Iraq and Syria will never be used against another Arab country. No one objects to US arms aid to Jordan or Saudi Arabia and Jordan was recognized as having the most legitimate claim for armaments of any Arab country.

The Secretary said that there are those Arabs who fear Israeli expansionism and those Israelis who fear the Arabs wish to drive the Israelis into the sea. He suggested that these two points appear capable of being eliminated. The Minister said that Arab fears of Israeli expansionism had a firm basis in historical fact. The Secretary assured the Minister that the US would not permit Israeli territorial aggrandizement and cited US intervention during the Suez crisis. The Secretary said that he was continuously hearing of these fears from both sides but did not believe that they were realistic. However, he did not underestimate the extent of such feeling.

The Minister said his government was rather unhappy about further US reductions in its contribution to UNRWA, although he appreciated that the US continues to bear the financial brunt of the organization. The US was reducing its contribution at a time when Iraq and other countries were increasing theirs. The Secretary said that this was a difficult problem for us with Congress because we see no end to the refugee problem. The Minister said the central point was whether the refugees would be permitted to exercise the right of choice. The Secretary commented that there may be a distinction between individual choice by a family and organized choice for political purposes. He said that he believed that there would be no more refugees prepared to return to Israel than Israel would be prepared to accept. The Minister stated no genuine attempt had ever been made to ascertain the refugees’ own views. The attempt by Joseph Johnson was a good effort but it was weakened by linking consultation with implementation. The Secretary asked for the Minister’s reaction should UNWRA personnel begin to informally ask a number of refugees each week what their desires were. The Minister said that this was an “interesting” idea but first there should be agreement on the principle that the refugees should be able to freely express their views in accordance with paragraph 11, resolution 194.

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL ARAB–ISR. Secret. The meeting was held at USUN. The memorandum is Part IV of V Sections. Records of the other portions of the conversation are ibid., Conference Files: Lot 67 D 305, CF 83.