5010-107 MAY 1112 EDITION 05A GEN REG NO r7 l1NITED STATES GOVERNMENT Memorandum This document consists of SECRET EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION __l_ pages no _l_ of L copies Series A TO NEA - Mr Talbot FROM NE - Rodger P Davies SUBJECT Israel's Cabinet Crisis and the Dimona Inspection December 15 1964 DATE Discussion We are concerned that the resignation of Prime Minister Eshkol appears to have no sound political reasons The pretext the revival of the Lavon affair by Ben-Gurion is a dead horse that has received repeated posthumous beatings Eshkol remains the only likely candidate for the Prime Ministership so that he could return to office much stronger for having resigned and more immune to domestic political attack If President Shazar should ask Eshkol to head a caretaker government however he could still continue as Prime Minister until the parliamentary elections originally expected November 1965 Such an arrangement would enable Eshkol to plead more effectively that he was in no position to entertain distasteful foreign proposals We feel sure Israeli leaders are aware of our concern about Israel's activities in the nuclear and missile fields If as seems Israel has decided to develop a nuclear weapon it will make every effort to conceal the fact from us until we can be faced with a £ accompli Eshkol however found it necessary to bow to White House pressure to set a date for the next Dimona inspection despite pleas for a delay because of domestic difficulties Selection of January 30 as a suitable time made further delays difficult barring a serious internal political upheaval The Prime Minister's resignation meets this description and allows ample time to request postponement of the inspection Despite their apparent differences today we must bear in mind the long and close association of Eshkol and Ben-Gurion Both played major roles in the establishment of Israel as a state Both regard defense measures as the keystone to Israel's survival Deputy Defense Minister Peres and former Agriculture Minister Dayan both Ben-Gurion men share this view Therefore cooperation by these men·to create circumstances that would permit Israel to develop unhindered the ultimate deterrent against Arab attack is neither illogical nor unlikely The present cabinet crisis need affect neither the ultimate position of Eshkol or the Mapai party l Recommendation •••• SECRET EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION Buy U S Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan 'i t ____ _ SECRET EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION - 2 - Reconmendation 1 That we press for the Dimona inspection as scheduled on January 30 on the terms set forth in our telegram now awaiting clearance at the White House I 2 That if necessary we request the President's permission to exert the graduated pressures set forth in our memorandum on extension of IAEA safeguards to nuclear facilities in the Near East attached l 4 Attachment Graduated Scale of Pressures w ' j vl fl ir J t jll r j • i IL r '· 1'f f NEA NE sell rvc 12 15 64 SECRET EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBtrrION ' t I r- r _ · -1y _ NEA JDJernegan i' • JJ cc t I t f DECLASSIFIED trthority This document consists of _ _ pages No __L_ of _2-_ Copies Series N H 'ifn 7' S- 8 - ENCLOSURE III SECRET l lli 'i l_ l ' S TllA'l' 1 011 _I m ' ' Al'T'J tlm 'CO PF RSUADR ISRAEL ' TO J llOl'T 1Ar- A_s w1 r trMl S FOR T T NUCLEAR FACII D 'U S ' 11 11t r 1·l•cc1 vLnA the Prcsirlent's request Prime Minister l sl1 l l _· n1 rn d or rl lusc l tl accc fo th0 followinr graduated sc I · 1· pr •s tfft' ld ii h npp lit-ti 1 f 'M lllil 1 z W trning that non-compliance would force reappraisal of rN1son1•cl 1· ltor 1lion 1·hrough diplomatic channels fonns of· U S support to Israel 3 l'ulllic 1 estatemcnt by -President of U S non-prolife-ration poi icy with 1mphasis on the Near East arms race '•· Rccl11cttnn o · oU mination of development loan support ' Eli mtn1-1t-i on oE rr -480 sales o Cm tallment o all military s ilcs and training I Torn1ination of special mili tary support assistance •I 8 Reinterpretation o U S tax policy to make financial ontri butions channqled to Israel taxahlc SECRET cnour '3 l 11wnr n1tlnd ll t· 12 yPur 1 ntorvn l 11nt uut 11mulfr11 fly l •dt111HJ ffcil lu 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