Eisenhower Says Israel Received “maximum” Assurances; Must Heed U.N.

President Eisenhower declared late this afternoon that Israel has received from the United States “the maximum assurances it can reasonably expect at this juncture.” The President revealed that the U.S. has renewed, therefore, its plea to Israel to withdraw from the Gaza and Akaba areas “in accordance with the repeated demands of the United Nations” and to rely on the UN resolutions. He pointed out that Britain and France had withdrawn in response to UN demands and he believes that Israel should do likewise.

The President issued his statement following a conference today in Washington between Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and Israel Ambassador Abba Eban. The conference took place at Mr. Dulles’ residence and was the second since Mr. Dulles’ return yesterday from Thomasville where he conferred with President Eisenhower on Israel’s stand.

(In Washington, Ambassador Eban told the press after his meeting today with Secretary Dulles that he gave the Secretary the full picture of Israel’s position and he believes Israel has received a full picture of United States thinking. He refused to comment on the content of the meeting. Washington officials, however, indicated that Secretary Dulles considered Mr. Eban’s views as rejecting the American offer to Israel and that the President’s statement is the final U.S. position.)

ISRAEL’S GRIEVANCES CONSIDERED “LEGITIMATE”; BUT REPLY HELD “NEGATIVE”

James Hagerty, President Eisenhower’s press spokesman, elaborating on the President’s statement, said that the U.S. Government considers Israel’s reply to the offer made by Secretary Dulles on the Gaza-Akaba situation as “negative.” President Eisenhower in his statement emphasized that “the United States is aware of the fact that Israel has legitimate grievances” with regard to Egypt “and should, in all fairness, see a prospect of remedying them. ” However, he insisted that one of the resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly on February 2, gave such a prospect.

“We believe, ” the President said in his statement, “that that prospect is further assured by the views which the United States has formulated and communicated to Israel in its memorandum of February 11. There the United States took note of Israeli views with reference to the Gaza Strip and the Strait of Akaba and made clear that the United States would do, after Israel’s withdrawal, to help solve the problems that pre-occupy Israel. Our declaration related to our intentions both as a member of the United Nations and as a maritime power having rights of our own.

“The United States, ” the President continued, “believes that the action of the United Nations of February 2 and the statements of various governments, including the U.S. memorandum of February 11, provide Israel with the maximum assurance that it can reasonably expect at this juncture, or that can be reconciled with fairness with others.

“Accordingly, the U.S. has renewed its plea to Israel to withdraw in accordance with the repeated demands of the UN and to rely upon the resoluteness of all friends of justice to bring about a state of affairs which will conform to the principles of justice and of international law and serve impartially the proper interests of all in the area. This, we believe, should provide a greater source of security for Israel than an occupation continued contrary to the overwhelming judgment of the world community.

“The U.S., for its part, will strive to remain true to, and support, the UN in its efforts to sustain the purposes and principles of the Charter, as the world’s best hope of peace, ” President Eisenhower emphasized. He pointed out that “The United Kingdom and France, which occupied portions of Egypt at about the time of Israel’s attack upon Egypt of last October, withdrew promptly and unconditionally in response to the same United Nations resolution that called for Israeli withdrawal. They deferred to the over whelming judgment of the world community that a solution of their difficulties with Egypt should be sought after withdrawal, and not be made a condition precedent to withdrawal. The United States believes that Israel should do likewise, ” the President said.