MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-161-8-5-9
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 9, 2010
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: June 18, 1976
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/09: LOC-HAK-161-8-5-9
MEMORANDUM
SEC RE T/ NODIS /X GDS
MEMORJ.NDUM OF CONVERSATION
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
-25X1
THE WHITE HOUSE
Ambassador Simcha Dinitz, Ambassador for Israel
Hanaia. Bar-On, Minister, Embassy of Israel
Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Secretary of State
Alfred L. Atherton, Jr., Assistant Secretary of
State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs
Peter W. Rodman, NSC Staff 49M
James P. Covey, Secretary's Office (notetaker
at Beginning)
Friday, June 18, 1976
6:10 - 6:47 p.m.
PLACE: The Secretary's Office
Dinitz: I want to give you my personal condolences and my own deep per-
sonal regrets [about the murders of American diplomats in Beirut].
I have some information here about the group that may be responsible. It
is not much; but it is all we have. [He hands him Tab A. ]
Kissinger: [Reads the paper] That is exactly what we already had, only a
little more detailed.
Kissinger: No, we also had it before that.
Dj'nitz You asked for our estimates of Palestinian casualties. Since the
middle of 1975, we believe there have been around 1, 000-1, 500 casualties
in Lebanon.
Kissinger: Out of a.total force of how many?
Dinitz: A.total force of 5, 000.
SECRET / NO DIS /X GDS
SECRET -- XGDS (3)
CLASSIFIED BY, HENRY P, KISSINGER
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SECRET/NODIS/XGDS 2
Atherton: It was probably higher.
Bar -On: You probably count the casualties of "Saiga among the casualties
of the Palestinians before.
Dinitz: If you count all the rejectionists, the total is more like 10, 000.
I have one thought on another matter -- I.talked to the Prime Minister -- that
since you are having this meeting with the Ambassadors . . . .
Kissinge Right. Actually it won't be as urgent as I thought it would be.
Diniti: Our thought on the matter is that maybe the situation in Lebanon can
be utilized, to capitalize on Syria's isolation, (1) to crush the PLO as a
political and military force and (2) to create a coalition of Syria, Saudi
Arabia and Egypt. Egypt could cease aligning itself with the radicals and
join with Syria and Saudi Arabia, and Syria in turn should separate itself
from the Soviets.
Kissinger: I told our Cabinet today that, if we could separate the murder
of our Ambassador from the strategic situation, the situation in the Middle
East was for the first time that it could produce an alignment that is favor-
able to a settlement. If it broke right. N
Dinitz: One other item of business, and this'is the President and the Interim
Quarter. We hear from. Passman that he talked with the President and it
will be $200 million. This is shocking to us. Because the estimate was it
would be more. This is inadequate for the. military part.
Kissinger: I have been getting calls from Senators. I recommended to
Javits that he call the President directly. I came in when the President
was calling Passman. I gathered it was about this, from the parts of the
conversation I heard.
Dinitz: Inouye is for the whole $500 million and I am afraid there won't
be a compromise. I don't know what we can do.
Kissinger: I thought, when I heard these figures, that they had been worked
out with somebody. (He calls General Scowcroft and asks how the figures
were arrived at. ]
Dinitz: We wanted $375 million.
SEC RE T/ NO DIS /X GDS
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.SECRET/NODIS/XGDS 3
Kissinge: Apparently the figure was picked because it keeps it below the
ceiling. That keeps it below the ceiling.
Dinitz: That is ridiculous, because we asked for $375 million, which would.
be on credit, so only ten percent would be added to the cei*.ing, or 37. He
gives now $200 million, half in grant, of which $100 million has to be added
to the ceiling. Plus the Arab figures -- I am not complaining about the
Arab figures.
Kissinger: I will talk to him tonight. I am seeing him at 7:00.
Dinitz: He could do it in credit and only have to deduct ten percent.
Kissinger: I don't know why they don't want it credit. I once asked Lynn.
Lynn said to me that we will have to make it up in a few years.
Dinitz: We have never defaulted.
Kissinger: That isn't the issue. I think these figures are right. I will see
the President.
George Ball had an interview with the "Baltimore Sun" and says the great
powers should impose a settlement on Lebanon. If we had imposed a settl.e-
ment on Israel two years ago, we could now do it to Lebanon too.
Dinitz: No one takes Ball seriously any more.
Atherton: In 1968 1 went around the Middle East.with Ball. He was our
Ambassador to New York. He had a "plan" for a settlement which he
told them all about, but it had not been thought through at all.
[The Secretary and Ambassador Dinitz met alone from 6:30 until 6:47 p.m. ]
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
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TOP SECRET 18 JUNE 1976
SUBJECT: IDENTITY OF ASSASSINS OF U.S. AMBASSADOR' IN
BEIRUT
1..
THE SOCIALIST LABOUR PARTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
MURDER OF THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR AND -THOSE WITH HIM.
2. WE KNOW OF AN ARAB SOCIALIST LABOUR PARTY IN LEBANON,
WHOSE POLITICAL AIMS WERE PUBLISHED IN THEPFLP ORGAN
"AL-HADAF" ON 2 AUGUST 1975.
THE PARTY
3. FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF PRELIMINARY INFORMATION ON
A. THE PARTY IS CONNECTED WITH THE PFLP (HABASH),
BUT THERE. ARE NO DETAILS ON THE NATURE OF THEIR
TIES.
B. PARTY MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN THE FIGHTING IN
TRIPOLI IN MAY 1976 ALONGSIDE PRO-IRAQI BAATHISTS
AGAINST SAIQA FORCES.
C. THE PARTY APPARENTLY HAS BRANCHES IN BEIRUT AND
IN THE SOUTH (TYRE) AS WELL.
D. IT APPARENTLY HAS AN ARMED MILITIA.
IBRAHIM, OWNER OF THE "AL-HURRIYA" NEWSPAPER.
ANOTHER PERSONALITY WHO APPEARED IN THE. NAME OF
THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE PARTY MAY BE MUS.HIN
THE PARTY IS HUSSEIN HAMDAN. `'
TOP SECRET
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TOP SECRET -2- 18 JUNE 1976
4. TO SUfl UP, THE ARAB SOCIALIST LABOUR PARTY IS A
LEBANESE, LEFTIST, PRO-IRAQI PARTY CONNECTED WITH
THE PFLP, BOTH IDEOLOGICALLY AND IN PRACTICE.
ONE SHOULD NOT EXLUDE THE POSSIBILITY THAT MEMBERS
OF THIS PARTY WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE KIDNAPPING
OF COL. MORGAN IN BEIRUT LAST YEAR AND THAT THE
PFLP WAS BEHIND BOTH OPERATIONS.
TOP SECRET
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