Monday, May 30, 2016

22 - P. Lavon to M. Sharett, July 29, 1954

Ha-Kirya, Tel Aviv, July 29, 1954
Minister of Defense

Personal - Secret

The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister:

I am sorry I cannot accept your letter of 27 July as the summation of the consultation which took place on Monday, 19.7.54.
Whereas I participated in the consultation, I declare that the items phrased in your letter do not represent the opinions voiced in the said consultation. They only repeat your opinion as it was expressed in your letters to me of 12 and 18 July, and in your opening remarks at the beginning of the discussion.
In order to clarify how much your phrases do not properly correspond to the course of the discussion, I will quote only article (a): “Representation of Israel in the [Mixed] Armistice Commissions will remain pending a new decision (my emphasis - P.L.) with the Defense Ministry.” To the best of my memory, the majority of the haverim who participated in the consultation were of the opinion that dealings with the Armistice Committees must remain with the Defense Ministry and the Army. The “pending a new decision” probably represents your opinion and your wish to emphasize that this arrangement is temporary, but this cannot be taken as the summation of the consultation. This one-sidedness appears in the other articles, perhaps with a stronger emphasis.
I do not deny your right to sum up your thoughts on this subject, but I do deny the fact that this is a true summation of the consultation.

P. Lavon
Minister of Defense