INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State rY _ s-----3-E-C-RE_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ J_ _ _ _ _ __ Action 5S FROM Control Rec'd II TEL AVIV 17429 MARCH 23 1964 6 18 PM Info ACTION SE CST ATE 976 PR I OR ITY DATE MARCH 23 8 PM REF DEPTEL 81¢ EMBTEL 968 DEPTEL 319 LIMDIS AMBASSADOR BARBOUR HAD HOUR-LONG TALK MORNING MARCH 23 WITH PRIMIN ESHKOL ON OUR DIFFERENCES ABOUT REASSURING NASSER RE DIMONA PRESENT WERE DIR GEN YAHIL ARAD OF US DEPT PRIMIN'S AIDE LUBRANI AND EMBOFF AS AMBASSADOR PROCEEDED TO BEIRUT VIA OLD CITY TO MEET ASSISTANT SECRE TARY TALBOT FOLLOWING IS UNCLEARED REPORT WHILE PRIMIN WAS READING PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S LETTER HE VOICED SEVERAL PRELIMINARY REACTIONS PRIMARILY HE TOOK IMMEDIATE ISSUE WITH STATEMENT THAT NASSER HAS NOT MISUSED US ASSURANCES ESHKOL SAID NASSER HAS ONLY STARTED TO BUILD MISSILES PRODUCED CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND IS BUILDING A LARGE FACTORY FOR JETS THESE WERE NASSER'S CONCLUSIONS AMBASSADOR EXPLAINED THIS POINT IN LETTER SIMPLY WAS THAT NASSER HAD NOT PUBLICIZED PREVIOUS ASSURANCES ESHKOL STRESSING HIS REMARKS TODAY DID NOT REPRESENT HIS DEFINITIVE RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT'S LATEST LETTER ASKED IF PAST REASSURANCES ON DIMONA HAD REALLY RELIEVED TENSIONS WHAT SIGNS ARE THERE THAT THIS WAS SO PRIMIN CHARACTERIZED SELF AS OPTIMIST AND THEREFORE HE HOPES FOR RELIEF OF AREA TENSIONS BUT REALISTICALLY HE FAILS TO PERCEIVE ANY NOW HE THEN SPOKE ABOUT HOW GERMAN LIBERALS AND OTHERS FAILED TO TAKE HITLER SERIOUSLY IN EARLY 3¢'S PRIMIN NOTED IT VERY SIGNIFICANT THAT PRESIDENT HAD AGAIN WRITTEN HIM ON THIS MATTER HE WOULD NEED AT LEAST 2lt HOURS TO RECONSIDER QUESTION IN LIGHT THIS NEW COMMUNICATION DECLASSIFIED E O 12958 Sec 3 6 NL 01- 88 REPRODUCTION FROM THIS COPY IS UNLESS UNCLASSIFIEDf ---•- S- - -C _ _ Ri _ i ___ _ _ __ 'ROHIBITED Ay- ' NARA Datelli1 • COPY LBJ LIBRARY ·i i • SEEif1f-T I -2- 976 MARCH 23 8 PM FROM TEL AVIV THEN ESHKOL ASKED QUESTION WHICH HE REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES SUBSEQUD TLY IS t· ASSER ASl- ING ABOUT DIMONA DO WE KNOW HE IS TRULY CONCERNED ABOUT IT PRIMIN RECALLED HE HAD MADE SOLEMN PUBLIC DECLARATION THEM DIMONA IS FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES ONLY HE ASKED US TO BRING HIM SIMILAR DECLARATION FROM OTHER SIDE AMB OBSE VED NASSER DOES NOT NECESSARILY BELIEVE GOI STATEMENTS PROMPTED BY YAH IL ESH OL SAID F US TH I t KS IT SUCH A GOOD IDEA TO REASSUF E i JASSEF AIJOUT DI i 10NA IS US A 3f I i· G SOMETHING 1 N RETURN FROM HI f 1 11 AMb SAID VJ AF E p S I G SOMETH I JG FROM NASSER' ALL TH TIME MAINLY THAT UAR NOT AGGRESS AND IF IT DOES AGAINST ISRAEL ✓E vi LL REACT STPONGL Y 0 AMB LISTED AND ELABORATED ON FIVE ORAL SUPPLEMENTARY POINTS HC ADJUSTED THF UST OF ORAL POI NT ONE Of-- DEPTEL 81¢ ALONG FOLLOV JI NG LINE NASSER IS AWARE OF THE US VISITS TO DIMONA IN THE PAST IF VIE DO NOT AGA I t J REASSUF E HIM E EFORE LOI JG HIS AU EAD V CONS IDEf ABLC SUSPICION ABOUT ISRA EL t JUCLEAR INTENT I Of JS r✓ I LL ·f3£ DEEPEf--lED t ASSER v✓ I LL TH INK EITHER THAT JE om f T KNO rJ WHAT IS GOING ON AT DIMOi JA 1 Of THAT -JE DO l· NO i ISRAEL HAS TAKEN WEAPONS PATH AMB SUMMARIZED HIS BASIC PRESENTATION BY SAYING THATi WHEREAS ISRAEL THESIS IS THAT UNCERTAINTY ON THIS MATTER WILL DETER NASSER PRESIDENT BELIEVES THAT UNCERTAINTY VERY MUCH INTENSIFIES DANGER GF A DESPERATE UAR MISCALCULATION 1 o SHKOL ASKED WHY WE THINK TANKS ARE NOT PART OF THE SECURITY SITUATION AMQ TH N STF ESSED AS IT ✓AS NECESSARY TO DO SEVERAL TIMES SUBSEQUENTLY THAT DIMENSIONS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROLIFERATION PROBLEM PUT IT IN A VJHOLL Y DI r-FERDH CATEGORY THAN MATTERS OF CONVEiH IONAL VJEAPONS 'iUCH AS TANf S RE CA I f O SUMMIT CONFERENCE J ESHKOL ACKi· OVJLEDGED ARABS DID t JOT q DEC IDE TO START rJAR AGAINST ISF AEL TOMORROW HE ADMITTED NASSER - 11 MAYBE WAS A LITTLE INSTRUMENTAL 11 IN THIS OUTCOME BUT WHAT DID THIS REALLY MEAN AT CAIRO NASSER REVEALED PLANS FOR MILITARY ATTACK AGAINST ISRAEL SEVERAL Y ARS AGO AND ARABS DECIDED TO DI VERT HEADV ATERS OF JORDAN f7 I VEF NASSER IS NOT vJ I LL I G NOW TO RISK A THIRD DEFEAT BY ISRAEL BUT WHAT OF FUTURE PERHAPS WATER DIVERSION WILL NOT BE IMPLEMENTED BUT MONEY IS BEING COLLECTED PLANS ARE BEING PREPARED ESHKOL SAID HE IS NOT EC - F-- • COPY LBJ LIBRARY SECRE P '-3- 976 MARCH 23 8 PM FROM TEL AVIV PANICKY ABOUT PRESENT SITUATION BUT HE CAN NOT KNOW FOR SURE WHAT ARAB INTENTIONS ARE THIS UNCERTAINTY DICTATES ISRAEL'S REACTION IN SECURITY FIELD HE ADDED ARABS MIGHT NOT BOMB TIBERI AS PUMPING STATION BUT DIVERSION OF HEADWATERS WOULD BE SAME THING AMB NOTED OUT DOUBTS THAT SPITE DIVERSION PROJECTS WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND ENDEAVORED RETURN ESHKOL TO SUBJECT AT HAND PRIMIN STATED NASSER IS PLANNING TO BUILD A LARGE NUCLEAR REACTOR WILL US EXPERTS BE ABLE TO VISIT UAR REACTOR AMB SAID ANY SUCH REACTOR WOULD PROBABLY BE COVERED BY ADEQUATE SAFEGUARDS ESHKOL MADE CLEAR HE WOULD NOT RELY ON INSPECTIONS BY OTHER THAN US EXPERTS AMB REITERATED HOW STRONGLY USG THINKS IT IN ISRAEL'S INTEREST TO REASSURE NASSER AGAIN ON DIMONA ESHKOL SAID THERE IS HONEST DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN US ON THIS A DIFFERENCE OF FEELING AND APPRECIATION PERHAPS DISTANCE OF 2 ¢¢¢ MILES CONTRIBUTES TO THIS DIFFERENCE GOI MUST MAKE COLOSSAL EFFORT TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN OUR RESPECTIVE FEELING 11 • AMB SAID WE WERE DEALING HERE vi TH QUESTION OF NASSER'S PSYCHOLOGY TO EXTENT WE CAN REMOVE DOUBT RE ISRAEL'S NUCLEAR THREAT NASSER'S ATTITUDE VIS-A-VIS ISRAEL WILL BE LESS BELLIGERENT CONVERSELY IF NASSER GETS THE IDEA ISRAEL IS MAKING ATOMIC WEAPONS HE MIGHT WELL ORDER A DESPERATE PRE-EMPTIVE ATTACK AMB REVERTED TO THIS THEME ADVICE SUBSEQUENTLY ESHKOL NOTED DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIS REPLY AND NASSER'S TO KHRUSHCHEV LETTER NASSER HAD EXEMPTED ISRAEL FROM COUNTRIES 'AGAINST WHICH FORCE SHOULD NOT BE USED ISRAEL HAD BEEN ONE OF FIRST TO ACCEDE TO TEST BAN TREATY ETC AMB SAID QUESTION IS ONE OF REASSURANCES ON SPECIFIC POINT PRESIDENT HAD RAISED YAHIL SAID GOI HAD COME TO TO BELIEVE IN CERTAIN CASES THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF ISRAEL'S REACTIONS HAS DETERRENT EFFECT THIS CONNECTION HE CITED JORDANIAN SITUATION FACT THAT NO ONE IS CERTAIN HOWi ISRAEL WOULD REACT TO CHANGES IN JORDAN HAS PACIFYING EFFECT YAHIL ASKED IF WE HAD ANY REAL INDICATION NASSER IS VERY DISTURBED BY ISRAEL'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AMB SAID MATTERS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND JORDANIAN SITUATION CAN NOT BE COMPARED THE LATTER MATTER WOULD INVOLVE A TRADITIONAL MILITARY CONFRONTATION NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAN RESULT IN COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF COUNTRIES -SECRET • COPY LBJ LIBRARY 3ECR f -4- 976 MARCH 23 8 PM FROM TEL AVIV THIS ENHANCES THE CHANCE FOR IRRATIONAL REACTION WHERE NUCLEAR POLICIES WERE INVOLVED PRIMIN SAID NEITHER GOI NOR USG IS CERTAIN ISRAEL IS NOT NOW UNDER AN EGYPTIAN NUCLEAR THREAT EGYPTIANS ARE WORKING IN ATOMIC INSTALLATIONS IN INDIA ETC AMB SAID OUR BEST INTELLIGENCE IS THAT UAR DOES NOT HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS POTENTIAL NOR WILL IT HAVE FOR VERY LONG TIME IF EVER ESHKOL ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS SOME WEIGHT IN OUR ARGUMENTS HOWEVER NASSER IS DEVELOPING MISSILES GOI HAS NEW INFORMATION ABOUT PROGRESS ON UAR MISSILES AND PRIMIN HAS INSTRUCTED 1 THAT DATA BE PASSED TO USG MONTHS AGO GOI STARTED TO TALK WITH USG ABOUT MISSILES AND TANKS MUCH TIME HAS PASSED AND ISRAEL STILL LACKS DEFINITE ANSWER ON TANKS ROWEN VOICED USG'S APPREHENSION RE POSSIBLE ISRAELI ACQUISITION # TOLD ROWEN ISRAEL COULD NOT OBTAI M SSJLES FOR AT LEAST A YEAR 11 AND IF YOU REALLY PRESS US ON TH IS IT WI LL BE T ✓O OR THREE YEARS 11 • ST I LL NO TANKS AMB ACKNO ✓LEDGED THAT DECISION ON REASSURING NASSER WAS DIFFICULT ONE FOR GOI BUT US STRONGLY BELIEVES ON BALANCE SUCH DECISION SHOULD BE MADE · ESHKOL ASKED IF US HAD TOLD NASSER ISRAEL IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT UAR MISSILES IF SO WHAT WAS NASSER'S REPLY IS NASSER REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT DIMONA OR IS THIS JUST AN IDEA OF YOUR PEOPLE EMBOFF SAID WE HAVE HAD MANY RELIABLE INDICATIONS THAT NASSER'S CONCERN IS VERY REAL INDEED AMB REITERATED THAT NASSER DID NOT EXPLOIT PREVIOUS ASSURANCES PUBLICLY OR THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS IF NO RENEWED ASSURANCE IS FORTHCOMING FAIRLY SOON HE WILL DRAW NATURAL CONCL $10N ARAD ASKED IF WE WERE SURE NASSER HAD NOT TOLD RUSSIANS ABOUT bUR DIMONA FINDINGS ESHKOL INTERRUPTED TO ASK HO ✓ LONG IT WOULD TAKE UAR TO crn STRUCT A LARGE REACTOR' ASSUM I NG OUTSIDE FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AMB SAID MANY YEARS ESHKOL SAID FLATLY HIS EXPERTS KNOW IF NASSER GOES FOR A LARGE REACTOR ITS PURPOSE WOULD BE WEAPONS PRODUCTION IN ENSUING DISCUSSION ABOUT FUEL ESHKOL NOTED UAR HAD NATURAL URANIUM RESOURCES AMB SAID IF NASSER WERE 'EVER TO COMPLETE A LARGE REACTOR IT WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR US TO OBTAIN ACCESS THERETO HE DID NOT KNOW THAT WE HAD ACCESS ALSO TO DIMONA ESHKOL EXPRESSED CERTAINTY NASSER WILL BUILD R ACTOR FOR WEAPONS PRODUCTION AMB 3ECRFF • COPY LBJ LIBRARY 8ECRE f -5- 976 MARCH 23 8 PM FROM TEL AVIV SAID THIS NOT ALL CERTAIN HE REMINDED PRIMIN WE DO NOT PROPOSE TO TELL NASSER ANY DETAILS ABOUT DIMONA INSPECTIONS ONLY THE BASIC FINDING PRIMIN FOR FIRST TIME DURING OUR EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS THIS ISSUE THEN SIGNIFICANTLY NOTED THAT ISRAELI PUBLIC DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS GO I NG ON AT DIMONA r AS SESSION ENDED ESHKOL EXPRESSED ASSUMPTION TALBOT HAD TRll 0 TO DISCOURAGE NASSER FROM MISSILE ACQUISITION PRIMIN PROMISED TO GIVE PRESIDENT'S REQUEST fURTHER CONSJD RATIO COMMENT DEPARTMENT MAY WISH PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTARY TALKING 1 POINTS GEARED TO SPECIFICS OF ESHKOL'S REACTION FOR POSSIBL USE WHILE GOI RECONSIDERING THIS ISSUE BARNES CC-25 # OMISSION CORRECTION TO FOLLOW SECRET • COPY LBJ LIBRARY Summary ofa meeting between U S Ambassador Walworth Barbour and Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol regarding Egyptian concern over the Israeli nuclear reactor located in the city ofDimona Department Of State 23 Mar 1964 U S Declassified Documents Online https link gale com apps doc CK2349545717 USDD u wash74137 sid USDD xid f161554e Accessed 30 July 2020 NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu Read related article Duplicity Deception and Self-Deception Israel the United States and the Dimona Inspections 1964-65 2020-11-03