TELEGRAM Ferelgn Service of the United States of America OUTGOING NfHBAS§Y T§L Am

SECRBT

. Charge: Clau'!P..."''o• Control: l.3:>5

· .~ :::-z:· ~-;::,~~ &. Date: Mar 22, 1965 DJM #3 ACTION: Secstate WASHDC l205 POL #4

' 'POL #5 DIMONA VISITS moN ff> SCI '#7 Ref: Deptel 959, Embtel 1199 CHR.Ol'f #8

A. YEDIOT AHARONOT carried long feature article March 18

(Embassy translation available late 19) by stalwart Ben-Gurionist

Ben-Porat, revealing several new details on visits. It speaks

of "crisis of confidence" between U3 and Israel during Ben-

Gurion•s last two years over Dim'.lna reactor, and mentions

"poll te but firm letter" from President Kennedy to Ben-Gurion

requesting two regW.ar visits by tB scientists each year.

Article implies Ben-Gurion stoutly resisted this Kennedy

request, replying to President Kennedy during his meeting in

New York that Israel cou1d not reveal scientific secrets

unless its Dimona partner, France, agreed--which DeGaulle

refused to do. Only later, under Eshkol, did GOI give in to

visits, with French agreement, article says.

Article then describes visits in mid-1964 and January

1965 by three U3 scientists each time, occurring rather

hastily over weekends, when mst reactor personnel absent.

Despite satisfaction expressed by these scientists as to

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Charqe: CJoulfinllo•

Foreign Service of tba Unitef States of America

Control:

Date:

peaceful nature of reactor, article continues, request for two

inspections per year was renewed, and Harriman came to Israel

recently "with list of precise questions."

Ben-Porat professes eonsiderable indignation at alleged

W discovery of DiD:>na through aerial photography in l96o,

and implications of continuing "nuclear espionage.,.. He

alleges Israeli public (including number of important otticials

in GOI) upset at learning of visits through foreign sources

after own Government kept it secret from them. Danger lies in

such visits becoming routine matter,he asserts. "Grave

impression" created by chain of recent phenomena, including

a) 'Harriman mission's J:lnk:lng of arms supplies to Arab diver-

sion, b) transfer of Independence Day parade from Jerusalem

to Tel Aviv, and c) revelation that Dinnna "holy of holies"

has been opened to American inspection under American pressure.

Nevertheless Ben-Porat concludes (t>erhaps tongue-in-cheek) such

grave matters should not degenerate into domestic Israeli politi-

cal issue.

B. In opposition to Ben-Porat, Jerusalem correspondent

same paper (who is believed to be pro-Eshkol) reiterated on 19th

SECRET llEPR091CTIOH fROM TRIS COPY IS PROHlllTED lllllESS "UKCWSlflfl"

"SU.lt-1.Ural ....... It tllt DopartMit CUI .. dl•ertllt ID ~ {IPlftll'l•lt lo lh claS>lllcl:!lca ol ~ -~) "ltllOI." Nb'~I,,._ Ttlll "IJ l'tll

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Charqe:

SECRET

Clauiflcalto•

Forel1n Service af the United States of A1erica

Control:

Date: counent made by DAVAR on 18th (Em.btel 1190) tbat two of four

visits t.ook place durins Ben-Gurion tel'll of office. He added

Esbkol expected discuss •tter in regular C&binet meeting 21st.

C. Paris correspondent MAARIV (uri Dan) reported March 18

French Government opposes principle of m visits to Dimna.

'lb1s allegation taken up by Liber&l.-Herut Party organ HABC!

v Dt;CLASSIFIED ·•.- - - --- ' -Authoritylf,JO 59.Z l.3 r""

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PAGE 4 SECRET

Charge:

Foreign Senlce of t~e United States of America

Control:

Date: against opponents. HABOKER and MAARIV must be presumed to be

outsiders, until proven Q otherwise. They likely sniff' good

politic&l. issue and interested in keeping it exposed. Lack of

other press articles on matter somewhat unusual, and raises

possibility GOI and Ben-Gurionites ea.ch ca.utioning their suppor-

ters to go slow. Possibility cannot be excluded Esbkol-controlled

GOI, and Ben-Gurionites each aiming at same end--justif"ication :r.z

tor refusing- turllber permission visits. Ev'en if not yet decided"

GOI •Y possibly come to seek such an end as reaction to fUr-

tber publicity, particularly if it comee to believe ts leak

deliberate. As of now, however, Embassy does not draw that

conclusion. Evidence accumulated to date shows GOI still

probing and still attempting limit public disclosures, while

simultaneously trying to check any Ben-Gurion i;>0litical offen-

sive througb leak of key argument that Ben-Gu.rion started whole

business.

GP 3 ~ BARBOUR

POL:GBI~s/SCf.:'IfrWebber/tt/3/22./65 Coordination: DCM:~e (~ ~r)

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Read related article:

Duplicity, Deception, and Self-Deception: Israel, the United States, and the Dimona Inspections, 1964-65

2020-11-03

https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/node/3013