FIGHTING ON THE SUEZ CANAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-559-26-7-6
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: November 17, 2011
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: September 18, 1971
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22: LOC-HAK-559-26-7-6
THE WHITE HOUSE
3ECR?~T- CODEWORD
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT: Fighting on the Suez Canal
Yesterday Egyptian surface-to-air missiles shot down ;.an Israeli recon-
naissance plane flying on the Israeli side of: the Suez Canal. This morning
Israeli aircraft fired air-to-ground SHRIKE missiles against Egyptian
missile sites from Israeli airspace.
FROM: Henry A. Kissinger
This activity comes against a background of the Israeli shootdown of an
Egyptian SU-7 which crossed the Canal last Saturday and a general pattern
of intelligence overflights by both sides through the summer.
the action has subsided as of mid-day
25X1
signal of warning to the Egyptians. The Egyptian air force has increased
its state of readiness.
There will be a temptation here to make immediate approaches to all sides
to calm the situation. A normal amount of this in the natural course of
contacts is all right, and I told Rabin this was important.
However, I would resist the temptation to mount any major diplomatic
effort. There is the danger that irrational Egyptian acts could lead to
further incidents, but our reproaching Sadat is not likely to have much
influence. He knows we want the ceasefire to continue and will act in
terms of his own interests. The Soviets cooperated in the Egyptian shoot-
down according to Rabin, and it could be argued that the Soviets are
prepared to see some risks taken to worry the US. But at some point
they will have to calculate the disadvantages of resumed hostilities. If
they have some influence, one would assume an interest in maintaining
the ceasefire, although it cannot be ruled out that some Soviet hardliners
would take risks to see the US embarrassed.
as of now plans no further action. The Israelis have, however, moved
troop-carrying helicopters to a mid-Sinai staging point, but this could
be a combination of contingency preparation for a co ::::ando raid and a
Middle Eastern ime, and Ambassador Rabin phoned to say that Israel
State Department for the moment, on the basis of Rabin'-s statement that
they consider the incident over, is inclined to lie low.
8 Eel CODEWORD
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/11/22 : LOC-HAK-559-26-7-6
INFORMATION
September 18, 1971