277. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Talbot)0
SUBJECT
- Conversation with Israeli Deputy Defense Minister on May 21, 1962
My brother Bill’s memorandum of his conversation with this gentleman1 reminds me that I have not reported on my own talk with him.
The central point in Peres’ remarks to me was that the maintenance of a stable and strong Israel was a service to peace in which the United States should take an increasing share. The particular item which he emphasized was the defense of the three operational Israeli air bases by Hawk missiles. He would like to buy them with some help from us, in a fashion undefined.
The rest of his argument was mainly embellishment and statistical argumentation designed to make the point that this was now a necessary contribution to the stabilization of the Middle East. He also appeared to believe that we should gradually get into a steady relation of military assistance to Israel, and I think it is predictable that he will have been making this point to Zionist leaders in this country.
I asked Mr. Peres what he thought about nuclear weapons in the Middle East, and he said that it would be better for Israel if they could be kept out, but that if there were signs that others might move in this direction, Israel would of course have to consider her own position.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.84A/5–2862. Secret.↩
- Document 273.↩