132. Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State1
996. Ben Gurion went before Knesset after 9:00 pm last night to explain what he described as Israel’s controversy with UN and US on Tiran Straits and Gaza issues.2 Cabinet interrupted its deliberations on President Eisenhower’s speech and Eban’s report of his recent discussions with State Department to enable Ben Gurion to make Knesset appearance. Cabinet’s discussions were resumed thereafter and continued until 1:00 am this morning. Knesset reconvened at 9:00 am today for four-hour debate on Israel’s position re President’s statement.
[Page 238]Ben Gurion did not say Israel would withdraw either from Straits or Strip but reiterated position that Israel was prepared to withdraw military forces from Gaza Strip and would not occupy Sharm el-Sheikh after Israel’s free passage through Tiran Straits had been assured. He made following points:
“Shall UN with assistance of US show discrimination between dictatorial Egypt and democratic Israel?
“Shall UN with assistance of US subject Israel to sanctions because we will not submit to double moral standards or Egyptian dictator, who insists others shall observe all obligations to his advantage while he ignores any bilateral agreement or international obligation which confers advantage on other side?
“Any attempt to compel us to accept miscarriage of justice and system of discrimination will meet with unflinching opposition Israel people. If UN does not maintain same law, same justice for all nations, moral basis of UN would be undermined.
“UN is still far from perfect and we have grave and bitter complaints against it but we will not, on that account, reject this great world organization.
“We are neither obliged nor entitled to give blind assent to every position taken up by USG but our resistance to any injurious proposal will not weaken slightest our feeling of respect and friendship for American people and our gratitude for moral and material assistance we have received from that government and people.
“If nations take disastrous course of extending direct or indirect assistance to Arab rulers in designs which they and their allies are harboring against Israel, we shall not submit. We shall resist it with every ounce of our moral strength.
“GOI has decided to make further effort to reach understanding with USG. Eban will convey to American Government position of GOI. We hope door is not closed to further discussion.
“I am confident every single member of Knesset fully understands grave meaning of “pressure’ against Israel referred to by US President. Reason given to justify “pressure’ is need to fortify authority of UN Charter. With all modesty incumbent upon representative of small nation, I venture to say nothing stands in greater conflict with UN Charter than injustice and discrimination practiced against us because we are few, weak and perhaps isolated. Discrimination which we condemn is not discrimination against Israel and Soviet Union but discrimination between ourselves and Egypt.”
Balance of speech was largely review, in familiar terms, of Egypt’s violations of Armistice Agreement and infiltration of Israel which he said led up to Gaza-Sinai campaign, and policies of economic blockade and sanction; Israel’s willingness to help make Gaza’s permanent inhabitants economically independent and to assist with final disposition of Gaza refugee problem, including some resettlement in Israel.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 674.84A/2–2257. Priority. Received at 11:30 a.m.; the source text does not indicate the time of transmission.↩
- A transcript of Ben Gurion’s address, obtained from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, is ibid., 674.84A/2–2157. An unofficial translation of Ben Gurion’s remarks to the Knesset is printed in United States Policy in the Middle East, September 1956-July 1957, pp. 308-316.↩