DECLASSIFIED Authoritym 65 59 This document consists of 3 pages d a 8 21 63 - 0f Series J Fi' i rst DEPARTMENT or STATE EFF l2 ISIQ 05 r- I Imam 93 5 CIDedasufy only and oonqmd DATE August 14 1953 55 by E g g rm mm_ 0e SUEUECTE Israel Mr John E Killick Counselor British Embassy Mr Patrick R H Wright First Secretary British Embassy - Acting Assistant Secretary James P Grant - William R Crawford Jr TO NEA - 2 NE-Z 5 6 wry-2-2 3-1 7t BNA 2 2 7 0 1% nm mu he s 539%8 I25 Ltd '2' I r Acting on instructions Mr Killick said London is increasingly concerned 1 at the possibility of nuclear weapons development in the Near East Looking at the situation on both sides on the basis of the best current intelligence there appears no real cause for concern about the UAR In Israel however there have been 50me new disturbing signs in recent weeks 1 In early June the UK Naval Attache talked to the Israel Chief of Staff The latter said Israel has reached a point where no further substantial improve- ments in conventional forces can be made and that if Israel begins to be overtaken in this respect it will have no way of redressing the balance except by develop- ment of non-conventional weapons The Chief of Staff Specifically asked that this information be passed along to the British Embassy's Military Attache 2 On July 10 the British Charge saw Prime Minister Eshkol who said the question of whether or not nuclear weapons appear in the area depends on the Great Powers and their willingness to provide Israel with the security assurance it seeks 3 On July 19 the Israel Ambassador in London speaking to Lord Home implied that Israel will have to resort to new deterrent weapons if a security guarantee is not forthcoming 4 On July 29 the British Ambassador in Tel Aviv discussed the test ban treaty with Foreign Ministry Director General Yahil The latter said Israel has to bear in mind the importance of not abandoning all right to a nuclear capability L-as a deterrent to Arab threats Yahil emphasized that he meant this in a theoretical aggim d Oil INEUFEBHIFDED Lonsmm asa d no I'll a DECLASSIFIED LIMIT DISTRIBUTION - 2 - Mr Killick said these conversations enming on top of our joint intelligence estimates about Israel's technological capabilities in the nuclear field are cause for concern The Foreign Office recognizes that the Israelis may be using this as a threat and leverage regarding a security guarantee Clearly the Israelis are not satisfied with either President Kennedy's May 8 formula or with the same position subsequently taken by Prime Minister Macmillan Mr Killick stressed that since surely neither the United States nor the UK would under any circumstances consider going further than these statements we come down to the fundamental question of how Israel is to be deterred from nuclear weapons development In Ottawa it will be recalled Secretary Rusk spoke to Lord Home of the United States determination to deter Israel if it came to that In conclusion Mr Killick said the UK hopes we can discuss all aspects of this problem including what effect signature of the test ban treaty is likely to have on Israel's plans what steps we might take with the French and the possibility of further clarifying what the German scientists are doing in the UAR Mr Grant said the U S and the UK are operating from the same factual and intelligence basis This leads the U S to believe that Israel's technology is reaching a stage where Israel could if it wished explode a crude atomic device in as little as two years and go on to crude weapons shortly thereafter But our careful watch on the situation still produces no conclusive proof that Israel is doing more than developing a technological capacity which could be devoted to weapons production on short notice if Israel Shauld decide some years hence that a weapons program were essential to national survival To keep this situation under control we are actively pressing forward on a number of fronts of which we are glad to inform the UK on a highly confidential basis We are asking the French Government some officials of which have expressed concern about Israel's intentions for information on the nature of the safe guards France says it has over Dimona How forthcoming France will be is a matter of conjecture as other elements in the Government appear to place great stress on the Israel tie Secondly we have been in touch with the Israelis in an effort to regular- ize and make more satisfactory our inspections of Dimona We are fairly hopeful that something can be worked out Thirdly Israel and UAR adherence to the test ban treaty may make a better atmosphere and frame within which to work in the future Finally our objective and that of the UK remains to move these countries in the direction of IAEA safeguards In present circumstances the adherence to the test ban treaty plus our own continued inspections of Dimona are actions in the right direction LIMIT DISTRIBUTION DECLASSIFIED Authorityn 6 5 SH LIMET DISTRIBUTION 3 - Mr Grant said we think it is important not to let the Israelis when they talk to us establish a record of acquiesence They must be made to see clearly that were they to go the weapons path the Arabs would have to follow and this would open the door for the Soviets perhaps on the Cuba pattern In our judgment there is a large element of calculation related to their pressures on us for a security guarantee in this Israeli talk of a nuclear deterrent On this point we would agree with the UK that a unilateral security guarantee to Israel should not be considered Mr Killick said it is unthinkable that the U S or UK could go beyond the present balanced statements of concern for the security of all Near East states Any formalization of these would not truly be balanced and would immediately devolve into the special bilateral relationship Israel wants since clearly the Arabs would have to reject whatever were proposed The UK would like to be sure that even such pressures as may be brought to bear by next summer's elections in the United States will not bring any change in the U S view GROUP 3 Downgraded at 12 year intervals not automatically declassified LIMIT DISTRIBUTION 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