LETTER TO MR. ALLEN DULLES FROM L. H. FROST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001200130019-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 20, 2003
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: July 17, 1957
• Content Type: LETTER

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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
17 July 195 7
Cr-
Gulf of Aqaba.
Ser 003P92
Dear Mr. Dulles:
Pursuant to our discussion at the IAC meeting
on Tuesday, I an forwarding the attached brief on the
Ix. Allen Dulles
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington 25, D. C.
Copy to:
State (Mr. Cumming)
NAVY review(s) completed.
SOU
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::~RITII.~ !Sl'"~Orl'S 014 7-I GUL~~'
At the end of hostilities in November 1956 the Israeli Navy had
only 2 small armed launches in the Gulf of Baba. Since the t -chile the
Navy has increased its strength by 2 patrol frigates and
.which arrived in the yilat area in December 19b5 and January
1957, and 3 (possibly 5) PT boats, which aere transferred overland
from Haifa. during the first half of 1957. The ships have maneuvered
at various times in the Gulf since their arrival, particularly in early
hay prior to and during Israeli. Independence bay cele'Jrations. Each
time Israeli r vsl ships conducted maneuvers in the Gulf, g_raudi Arabia -
and, to some extent, Jordan -- complained that their territorial graters
had been violated. Those accusations are over a.na above the continuous
iraa claim that the Gulf is within .rab territorial -aa-tors and comprises
Since the Gulf is so narrow, and Jgy~Jt, Jordan and 1rud
?. closed sea.
.ra.bia hold territory at its northern end, it is impossible for Israeli
naval units to maneuver without violating Arab territorial haters if
the 6-mile .~,.ra'bb claim is upheld. :. ssuming the legality of he 3-mile
l imit, Israeli ships could traverse the Gulf in direct passage 2nd
could. conduct maneuvers on a very limited scale.
r'ollovi_ns the Israeli seizure of Sharm el She J_l;:h and the islands
in the `l'imn JS traits and the sr::..secu:,n-c assumption of control of the
areas by the Israel began the movement of chartered fo,_-sign
fl ships into t1he port of Passa_;es of this type of traffic
i '1 ai! nir.n
continue. Ships of banish, Ita.lla.n, '-osta hiccn, Greek, C no'
registry have boen engaged L_n the 1aoveitient of 6-u1:: Cargo irot_,. ,5a st
Oil from Iran has ~cen ~rou~i'lt to J _lrt by
,.~.,ric,n ?)o~?ts to ~il,c.
r
and Liberian oE; L s try. an..is. rs involved .ier-e9 or arc,
It is ~~elic vec tlha"t
. _JPLI~ !~, na 1._~i.:OJ.LY? ,
tike only US 1 ~. t2nl er has ::o r beer t8'Lei; Ofi? the "-~!__ "~ run. 1 G_L--
rs?.C at -J-bouti 5. July on route from i:i t to Ea.ndrr i.iashv . It is
estimated that 100,000 tons of crude oil and POL have arrived. at Eilat
during 1957.
The first Israeli flag ship, A.TLIT, arrived at 'J;ilat on 7 June
1957 after passage through the Gulf. After an un.noted out--:)ass,-.r-o_ she
Sias observed in l:iorrbasa on 8 July 1957. If she d.epar'tec! i_crib.-sa on
~
that -j'.2 t u e could next arrive at the Tiran St nits on 18 July. - here
are no ind:ic2.ti_ons, the ,o!resent 'Lime, th-t cc^CLt!itional Is1'-oli_ 'l ..ag
s hioos will engc ge in the 'Ps t .~.1'rlcOn traC'.e out of ail- t. i O'.rever,
i1e:C e ha ve Oeen repo- ' i,s that I r 21 V':i11 ope ate fishin b oats out Of
51l`= t LO the iied. ?~ee. `2hese r e:Dorts h2 vo 'Jaen ~teniod by the 1S1'reli
Go vernrment,.
.deaction by the states to I`=.r sli use of the Gulf of :"A?gada
has; `,o-d.r,te, been vocal. The gyptian navy, except for a ;. hid.sh_ip:,iai)
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r.)J1 ~Jlt J1
training cruise into the Rad Sec, h-s remained near --~uoz. Jordan and
'~audi .',,,rTbia, h"ve no navies. There has been no et tempt by the .~gyptians
to expel the U ~FEF from Sharm El Sheikh in order to reassert i g~iptian
Eg~%ptiens, :apudi and
rule in this area. .f p-olarentJ_:, the '
Jordanians have not used shore-based guns to prevent Isrreli_ or foreign
flag ships from using the Gulf. There has also been no in_dic'.tion of
use of aircraft ' y those rat _ons to prevent such massage. -g _}tian
1 a.vy vine .,Pzzet's statement that his newly acquired Soviet subiaarinos
,.could be used to protect . i~y -tiara territorial cannot, however,
be is;nored.
In the meancrhile the Israelis, continue to improve the port of
ilet. it is a bloom to~.'n that Till have a population by the end of
1957 of 5,000 according; to Israeli claims. :, bier sufficient to
hano:Le shins of 5,000 tons has been completed. T its pier is now being
enlarged to handle 10,000-ton ships. Oil storage fec!_lities are now
,0,000-tons crude oil and 1,500 tons I- 0L. Ln a:- ditiona.l P-5,000 tons
crude and 600 tons POL are under construction. 1:..n 8-in oil -pipeline
has been completed from. Jilat to Beersheba and is in use. This line
is be in,_- extended by a 16-in line uihi c;.1 will proba; ly terminate on the
is;editerranea.n at .iadi au'_reir (south of Haifa). It is also reported
that the 8-inch line will be paralleled by a 13-inch line and that in
"
the future those lines will connect with the refinery at Tjlaif
It is evident that Israel intends to use the Gulf of and to
make ilat a major port. i.Iovement of ships through the Gulf are under
a secrecy screen for Israel dons not desire that its use of the
Gulf become a cause of hostilities at this tip e. it is also apparent
that the f'.ra1Js are using every effort at present to sto;-? Israeli use o,-
the 'gulf by political means. It is possible they :nrr resort to force
at a future date if pclitical -:)rocedo-res fail.
, ri
4i #i~.~,i
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MEMORANDUM FOR:
Copies of the attached memo om Adm.
Frost and Mr. R. Gordon Arnes t Gulf
of Aqaba have been furnished to ONE
FORM NO. Ivl RELACES
BE M 10-01
I AUG 5
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