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

353. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Israel¹

Washington, November 30, 1966, 3:47 p.m.

93594. 1. While we not in position accept or reject Israel version of yesterday’s air Battle,² neither are we certain that Israel’s behavior is as “innocent” as it claims. We have some difficulty in understanding how aircraft allegedly destroyed over Israel territory happened to fall in UAR.³ FYI Noforn. Our suspicion compounded by statement made to Dept Off by Israel Minister Evron yesterday that Piper was checking on reports of UAR troop concentrations in UAR territory near Qusaima. Evron then said he had “gone beyond instructions” in telling Dept Off this. End FYI Noforn.

2. Statements in paras. I and K in Tel Aviv USDAO’s 1272⁴ indicate Israel military well aware of political implications their actions.

3. We do not believe that Israelis should be allowed to believe that they can practice their version of realpolitik with neighboring Arab states at this critical juncture without attracting notice of USG and arousing doubts as to their professed peaceful intentions.

4. Accordingly, unless factors unknown to us make it undesirable, Embassy Tel Aviv should advise FonOff that while we still studying reports of air incident we would deplore behavior by any party which would tend to arouse anew Arab-Israel tension at this time.⁵ We not at all sure that challenges to UAR and exploitation of incident by release photographs allegedly of UAR MIG being shot down by Israeli Mirage (which published front page today’s Washington Post and New York Times) will produce result tending to strengthen position of Hussein in Jordan.

Katzenbach

1. Source:National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 31–1 ISR–UAR. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Bergus, cleared in draft by Wolle, and approved by Davies. Repeated to Cairo.
2. On November 29, Israeli forces shot down two United Arab Republic MIG 19 aircraft on the Israeli-UAR border.
3. Telegram 3091 from Cairo, December 1, reported that according to information from the UNEF Commander there were daily incursions by Israeli reconnaissance aircraft into UAR airspace as far as Suez, since the UAR’s MIG 17s and MIG 19s were incapable of matching the performance of Israel’s Mirage aircraft. (Ibid.) Telegrams 3124 and 3206 from Cairo, December 3 and 7 respectively, reported that according to the UAR Foreign Minister and an official in the UAR Vice President’s office, UAR aircraft frequently flew photographic missions over Israeli territory. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 31–1 ISR–UAR)
4. Telegram 1272 from the Defense Attache Office in Tel Aviv, November 29, described an Israeli briefing on the incident. (Ibid.)
5. Telegram 1972 from Tel Aviv, December 7, reported that Barbour discussed the substance of telegram 93594 with the Foreign Minister and other high-ranking Israeli officials. (Ibid.)