Office of the Historian

294. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson1

Washington, June 13, 1967.

SUBJECT

  • King Faisal’s Reply2 to Your Letter3

Faisal reiterates his desire to continue your close personal relationship and urges us to be even-handed in picking up the pieces of the Mid-East war. He has no doubt that the Israelis committed aggression and asks you to help make sure that they don’t gain territorially.

I pass this on only because it is typical of the strong pressures we are getting from our Arab friends to say that our support for the territorial integrity of all the states in the area means pulling the Israelis back behind the 1949 Armistice lines and not forcing a peace settlement. Mac Bundy has seen, and we will have recommendations for you soon.

Walt
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Middle East Cables, Vol. V. Secret. A handwritten “L” on the memorandum indicates that the President saw it.↩
  2. A copy of telegram 5272 from Jidda, June 12, which transmitted an English translation of King Faisal’s reply to the President’s letter of June 8 is attached to the memorandum. Telegram 5272 is filed in the National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967-69, POLSAUD-US.↩
  3. Document 290.↩