Barbour Reports On Israel’s Missile Program
(May 24, 1966)
Ambassador Barbour is updating the Department of State on Israel's
missile program after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Levi
Eshkol. Eshkol assured the U.S. ambassador that Israel does not have
strategic missiles and is having a hard time developing its strategic
missile program.
Telegram From the Embassy in Israel to the Department of State/1/
Tel Aviv, May 24, 1966, 1137Z.
1229. Israeli strategic missiles. CA-11071, May 10,
66./2/
1. I had almost an hour with Eshkol morning 24th on
missile question. I had given him prior knowledge of subject, and he
was well prepared. Following is brief summary of highlights.
2. After I made pitch pursuant ref CA, and subsequent
preliminary exchange, PM assured me a) there are no strategic missiles
in Israel now; b) there will be no such missiles in Israel at least
for two more years from now, perhaps three; c) he sincerely hopes within
that period of time UAR will abandon its missile program, in which event
Israel will do likewise. In any event Eshkol indicated that GOI not
contemplating purchase of more than "two dozen, maybe one dozen
more or less." He implied they were having development problems,
and finding costs nearly prohibitive.
3. In view importance today's exchange and in order
provide full flavor of Eshkol's sensible attitude towards missile question
we preparing detailed memcon to be sent priority airgram./3/
4. PM gave me paper and map summarizing current Israeli
appraisal UAR missile program. Paper states, inter alia, guidance problems
apparently still not overcome, but if gyro on which Egyptians now working
proves successful, UAR might have about 60 operational SSM's by middle
or end of 1967. Israeli appraisal also being pouched.
5. Comment: Noteworthy that Eshkol did not take issue
with my point that in present circumstances, presence of SSM's in Israel
would constitute Israeli introduction of new weapons into area. PM impressed
us as fervently desirous avoiding further qualitative escalation in
area arms.
Barbour
/1/Source: National Archives and Records
Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964-66, DEF 12 UAR. Secret; Exdis.
Repeated to Cairo, London, and Paris.
/2/Circular airgram CA-11071, May 10,
instructed Barbour to renew the U.S.-Israeli missile discussions of
April 1964 with Eshkol, in particular to try to halt any delivery to
Israel of missiles falling under the initial French-Israel contract
for 25 missiles mentioned to Feldman by Eshkol. (Ibid.) For Feldman's
reports of his discussions of this subject with Eshkol, see Documents
36 and 37.
/3/Barbour transmitted the memorandum
of conversation with airgram A-1000, May 27. (National Archives and
Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964-66, DEF 12 UAR)
Sources: Foreign
Relations of the United States, 1964-1968, V. 18, Arab-Israeli
Dispute 1964-1967. DC: GPO,
2000. |