124. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State1
990. Under instructions from Ben Gurion, Foreign Office telephoned Embassy 3:15 pm local time today February 21, asking that following message from Prime Minister be conveyed urgently to Secretary and in his discretion to President.
[Page 229]Cabinet has been in extraordinary session for three and one half hours already today. It has recessed briefly but will resume discussions at 5 pm tonight. Ben Gurion wishes Secretary to realize GOI has bent all efforts to reach a position on questions raised by President’s latest communication (Deptel 809)2 but that it has been physically impossible to complete consideration of matters so vital to GOI in time for Eban to catch plane leaving Lydda at 7:30 pm tonight. Eban will leave tomorrow morning, February 22, at 10:00 am and should be in New York and/or Washington by Saturday.3Eban will bring with him final position of GOI. Therefore, Prime Minister expresses urgent hope that US will be willing use its influence to postpone UNGA discussion until Monday.
Foreign Office hopes to have Prime Minister’s reply to President’s letter in final form to transmit some time tonight. Foreign Ministry also expressed strong hope Department would be able send priority niact reply to this message within matter of few hours.
For your information: Afternoon news broadcast stated Knesset would meet late tonight for foreign policy debate following extraordinary Cabinet session.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/2–2157. Secret; Niact; Presidential Handling. Received at 10:30 a.m. Also sent to USUN. A marginal notation of the source text by Bernau reads: “Sec saw”. A copy of this telegram in the Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File bears a marginal notation by Goodpaster indicating that the President saw the telegram on February 21.↩
- Telegram 809 to Tel Aviv transmitted the text of Eisenhower’s message to Ben Gurion, Document 121.↩
- February 23.↩