130. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, March 7, 1960, Noon1
SUBJECT
- Arab Ambassador’s Démarche re Ben-Gurion Visit
PARTICIPANTS
- The Secretary of State
- G. Lewis Jones, Assistant Secretary of State, NEA
- Herman F. Eilts, OIC, Arabian Peninsula Affairs, NEA/NE
- Sheikh Abdullah Al-Khayyal, Ambassador of Saudia Arabia
- Nadim Dimechkie, Ambassador of Lebanon
- Dr. Mostafa Kamel, Ambassador of the United Arab Republic
- Yusuf Haikal, Ambassador of Jordan
- Ali Haider Sulaiman, Ambassador of Iraq
- Dr. Osman El Hadari, Ambassador of the Sudan
- Mongi Slim, Ambassador of Tunisia
- Dr. El-Mehdi Ben Aboud, Ambassador of Morocco
- Asseyed Ahmad Ali Zabarah, Chargé d’Affaires of Yemen
- Abdurrazak O. Missallati, Chargé d’Affaires of Libya
Ambassador Khayyal (Saudi Arabia) handed the Secretary an Aide-Mémoire (copy attached)2 setting forth the Arab Ambassadors’ view on the Ben-Gurion visit. He then invited the UAR Ambassador to speak for the group.
After thanking the Secretary for giving the Arab Ambassadors his time, Ambassador Kamel (UAR) explained that the policy of the Arab states is one of peace toward all nations. There are two reasons for this: (a) in the present tense international situation an incident occurring anywhere can endanger world peace, and (b) the Arab countries are deeply preoccupied with economic development plans to better the living standards of their peoples which could be disrupted by the spread of destructive ideas. The Arabs are pleased with the happy relations which currently obtain between the United States and the Arab countries. These relations are threatened by Israel, by international Zionism and by American Zionists. The Ambassador cited an alleged statement of January, 1958, by an Israeli Foreign Office spokesman expressing concern over improved United States-Arab relations and instructing Israeli representatives to “warn” Western governments of any such rapprochement. Israel is asking for more arms with which to kill Arabs. Not a week passes in which American papers, especially Zionist papers, fail to pillory Saudi Arabia, the UAR, Lebanon, etc. During recent UAR negotiations with the IBRD, strong [Page 279] efforts were made by Israeli supporters to obstruct any loan for the betterment of the Suez Canal. Then had come the Tawafiq incident and the subsequent press campaign suggesting the Arabs had committed aggression in the Demilitarized Zone. The Arab Ambassadors, after United Nations condemnation of Israel, had pleaded with American papers to publish the U.N. Truce Commission’s report. Not a single paper had done so. The Arab Ambassadors had also invited CBS to film Tawafiq in an effort to enable the American public to learn the “truth” about the incident. CBS agreed to do so, but on the appointed day nothing was shown. CBS later explained this omission as a “technical mistake”.
Mr. Ben Gurion is doubtless entitled to come to the United States, Ambassador Kamel continued. Unfortunately, the suspicion exists that his visit will not be limited to its declared purpose of receiving an honorary degree. His various statements suggest that its true purpose is to worsen relations between the United States and the Arab countries. The Arab Ambassadors want to protect United States-Arab relations. They are deeply concerned at Zionist activities in this country. In the interests of world peace, in the interest of continuing good relations with the Arab states and in the name of American principles of justice, the Arab Ambassadors hope that the Ben Gurion visit will not be allowed to harm these relations.
The Secretary thanked Ambassador Kamel for his frankness in presenting the Arab case. He assured the Arab Ambassadors that the United States does not anticipate any change in its relations with the Arab states as a result of the Ben Gurion visit. The visit will be unofficial. The Department learned of it only a short time ago at which time it was told Mr. Ben Gurion would like to pay his respects to the President. It could do nothing but recommend to the President that he see Mr. Ben Gurion. Prime Minister Karami of Lebanon had seen the President during his visit last year.3 There is no agenda for Mr. Ben Gurion’s talks with the President. The Department does not know what he will wish to discuss. It does not expect any change in its relations with Israel to develop from these talks. It knows of no Israeli proposal for a treaty or new agreement. Further, the United States has never been a major supplier of arms to Israel.
Ambassador Dimechkie (Lebanon) felt it was “unfair” to compare the Ben Gurion visit with that of Lebanese Prime Minister Karami. The latter had headed his country’s delegation to the United Nations and was thus already in this country. Nor had Mr. Karami headed a government which only two weeks earlier had been condemned by the United Nations. Conferring an honorary degree on Mr. Ben Gurion now, when such degrees are normally granted in June, is suspect. The [Page 280] Ambassador expressed concern about the effect of the visit on public opinion in Israel, in the Arab world and in the United States. Some may infer from it that the United States is willing to overlook aggression. Mr. Ben Gurion will enjoy considerable press support while here. This could set back the progress made in improving United States-Arab relations. The Israeli anti-Arab campaign is intense and extends even to the field of literature. Thus, for example, it is regrettable that the book The Exodus is now to be filmed.
The Secretary recalled that a similar campaign had been attempted before the IBRD loan to the UAR. That campaign had in no way prevented the United States from supporting the loan.
The Tunisian, Moroccan and Iraqi Ambassadors added their expressions of concern. They stressed their solidarity with the Arab cause and their hope that nothing would take place during the Ben Gurion visit which might antagonize Arab public opinion and damage United States-Arab relations.
The Secretary thanked the group and said he would be pleased to see the Arab Ambassadors at any time, either individually or as a group.
Note: After the meeting with the Secretary, Ambassador Dimechkie read a prepared press statement to the assembled correspondents. A copy is attached.4 Later in the day, in reply to a newsman’s question, a Department Press Officer issued a statement on the visit of the Arab Ambassadors. A copy of this is also attached.4