2024Z 11 June 1967 drafted message text from
Secretary of State to
American Embassy, Tel Aviv and
U.S. Mission, United Nations

OUTGOING TELEGRAM   DEPARTMENT OF STATE

                    SECRET
                    Classification

ACTION: AmEmbassy TEL AVIV PRIORITY
                  USUN

STATE 210199

LIMDIS

MEMCON Between Amb Harman and Under Secretary Rostow June 10

1. Under Secretary Rostow presented Amb Harman text of USG
note concerning LIBERTY incident (sent septel). Before reading
note Harman noted GOI was appointing committee of
inquiry to investigate incident.

2. Harman said he would refrain from commenting on note
but expressed hope that any publication of it would follow
line that this was a tragic mistake for which GOI
accepted full responsibility. Rostow agreed incident
tragic mistake but added that circumstances surrounding
it very mysterious. Word used in our note was QTE
incomprehensible UNQTE and we hope board of inquiry would take
appropriate action against responsible parties
when investigation concluded.

3. Rostow said USG presenting this case to GOI in same manner in
which it would present similar case to any other government.

4. Harman noted three things: GOI did not know location of ship,
location was scene of active hostility, and GOI had
promptly apologized for this tragic episode.

5. In closing Harman again reiterated GOI desire to handle incident
as tragic mistake for which GOI accepted full responsibility.

GP-3                                   END

RUSK

Note: message format as drafted with EDT time stamp (GMT - 4 hours)

Message displayed as Document 257 in the Department of State Foreign Relations of the United States, Johnson Administration, 1964-1968, Volume XIX, Arab-Israeli Crisis and War, 1967.

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