CABLE TO GENRAL SCOWCROFT FROM THE SECRETARY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 7, 2009
• Sequence Number: 46
• Publication Date: May 15, 1974
• Content Type: CABLE

LS E C R E T/SENSWIVE 160822Z MAY 74
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY IMMEDIATE
HAKTO 97
MAY 15, 1974
TO: GENERAL SCOWCROFT
FROM: THE SECRETARY
PLEASE PASS THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT.
9E,GIN MESSAGE:
1. THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT DAY FOR THE ISRAELIS WHICH WOUND
UP WITH FORCES HAVING TO STORM A SCHOOL ROOM TO KILL THREE TERRORISTS,
BUT NOT UNTIL AFTER 20 CHILDREN HAD BEEN KILLED BY THEM AND ABOUT
50 WOUNDED.
2. HOWEVER, DESPITE THIS TRAGIC EVENT, I HAD SEVERAL TALKS
WITH THE PRIME MINISTER. THE ISRAELI CABINET IS MEETING IN A VERY
LATE NIGHT SESSION WITH A VIEW TO MAKING A FURTHER ADJUSTMENT IN
THEIR POSITION ON DISENGAGEMENT TO MEET IN A SUBSTANTIAL WAY THE
LATEST SYRIAN VIEWS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE
THAT THE CABINET WILL AGREE TO A NEW ISRAELI DEFENSIVE LINE AROUND
OUNEITRA, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH, WHICH WILL GO CLOSE TO 9/10THS OF THE
WAY TO MEETING THE SYRIAN PROPOSALS FOR THIS AREA.
3. YOU WILL RECALL THAT THE LATEST SYRIAN POSITION WAS THAT THE
LINE SHOULD BE DRAWN THROUGH THE PEAKS OF THE HILLS WEST OF QUNEITRA?
THE ISRAELI LEADERSHIP IS MAKING A MAJOR EFFORT TONIGHT WITHIN THE
CABINET TO ALTER THEIR DEFENSIVE LINE SO THAT IT WILL BE DRAWN
CLOSE TO THE BASE OF THESE HILLS AND EMBRACING SOME OF THE SMALLER
HILLS NORTH OF KUNEITRA.
4. YOU WILL RECALL ALSO FROM MY PREVIOUS MESSAGES THAT IN
ASAD'S LATEST PROPOSAL HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ISRAELIS MAKE
SOME FURTHER ADJUSTMENT IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE LINE SO AS TO
INCLUDE A NUMBER OF SYRIAN VILLAGES. I DO NOT EXPECT THAT THE
ISRAELIS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS CHANGE, AND I BELIEVE
THE REASONS THEY GIVE ARE BOTH LOGICAL AND UNDERSTANDING. THE
ISRAELIS HAVE EXPLAINED THAT IF THEY MOVE THE LINE IN THE SOUTH
SO AS TO TURN OVER A NUMBER OF THE VILLAGES TO THE SYRIANS, THERE
MORI/CDF
C03344616
IS GREAT DANGER THAT THESE VILLAGES WILL BECOME POPULATED WITH SAIQA
FEDAYEEN. THESE VILLAGES ARE LOCATED ON THE PLAINS CLOSE TO A
NUMBER OF ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS. THIS WOULD BE A MADE-TO-ORDER
SITUATION FOR GUARANTEEING TERRORIST INCIDENTS OF THE KIND WHICH
WOULD PLACE IN JEOPARDY ANY DISENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT ACHIEVED.
5. I AM ENCOURAGED BY THESE DEVELOPMENTS. I WILL BE MEETING
WITH PRIME MINISTER MEIR AND HER COLLEAGUES EARLY THURSDAY MORNING
TO RECEIVE THE DEFINITIVE VIEWS OF THE CABINET. IF THE
ABOVE POSITION IS APPROVED, AS I HOPE, I BELIEVE I WILL BE
CARRYING A REASONABLE ISRAELI PROPOSITION TO ASAD AND IT WILL
THEN BE UP TO HIM TO SHOW FLEXIBILITY AND COMPROMISE. IF WE CAN
ACHIEVE AGREEMENT ON THE LINE, I WOULD HOPE THEN TO MAKE A MAJOR
EFFORT TO TRY TO RESOLVE THE REMAINING ISSUES - - ZONES OF LIMI-
TATION, BUFFER ZONE, UN PRESENCE, ETC.
5. I WILL BE GOING TO DAMASCUS TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND BE
RETURNING TO JERUSALEM TOMORROW NIGHT TO BRING BACK THE SYRIAN
RESPONSE.
END MESSAGE.
WARM REGARDS.
BT
0097
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
V V
SECRET /SENSITIVE
EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY IMMEDI4';.F
May 15, 1974
TO:
FROM:
Please pass the following message to the President.
222
difficu t av or the Israelis which wound
up with forces having to storm a school room to kill three terrorists,
but not until after 20 children had been killed by them and about 50
wounded.
2. However, despite this tragic event, I had several talks
tS
with the Prime Minister. The Israeli Cabinet
late night session with a view to making a further adjustment in
their position on disengagement to meet in a substantial way the
latest Syrian views. My understanding is that there is a good chance
that the Cabinet will agree to a new Israeli defensive line around Quneitra,
both north and south, which will go close to 9/ 10ths of the way to
meeting the Syrian proposals for this area.
3. Yours will recall that the latest Syrian position was that the
line should be drawn through the peaks of the Hills west of Quneitra,
The Israeli leadership is making a major effort booti t within the Cabinet.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
 ? No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
W w
-2-
to alter their defensive line so that it will be drawn close to the
base of these hills and embracing some of the smaller hills north
of ?uneitra.
4. You will recall also from my previous messages that in
Asad's latest proposal he would like to see the Israelis make
some further adjustment in the southern part of the line so as to
include a number of Syrian villages. I do not expect that the
Israelis will be able to make this change, and I believe
the reasons they give are both logical and understanding. The
Israelis have explained that if they move the line in the south
so as to turn over a number of the villages to the Syrians, there
is great danger that these villages will become populated with Saiqa
fedayeen. These villages are located on the plains close to a
number of Israeli settlements. This would be a made-to-order
situation for guaranteeing terrorist incidents of the kind which
would place in jeopardy any disengagement agreement achieved.
5. I am encouraged by these developments. I will be meeting
with Prime Minister Meir and her colleagues
to receive the definitive views of the Cabinet. If the
above position is approved, as I hope, I' believe I will be
carrying a reasonable Israeli proposition to Asad and it will
then be up to him to show flexibility and compromise.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
-3-
If we can achieve agreement on the line, I would hope then to
make a major effort to try to resolve the remaining issues -- zones of
limitation, buffer zone, UN presence, etc.
6. 1 will be going to Damascus' Wviiwt-a-Tfe-r noon and be
returning to Jerusale
response.
END MESSAGE.
Warm regards.
t to bring back the Syrian
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1
! W
SECRET /SENSITIVE
EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY
May 15, l97
HAKTO IMMEDIATE
TO: GENERAL SCOWCROFT
BROM: THE SECRETARY
Please pass the following message to the President:
BEGIN MESSAGE:
1. This has been a difficult day for the Israelis which wound
up with forces having to storm a school room to kill three terrorists,
until
but not/after 20 children had been killed by them and about 50
2. However, despite this tragic event,
raeli Cabinet is
meeting in a very late night session with a view to making a
further adjustment in their position on disengagement to meet in a
substantial way the latest Syrian views. My understanding is that
there is a good chance that the Cabinet will agree to a new Israeli
defensive line around Kuneitra, both north and south, which will
go close to 9/lOths of the way to meeting the Syrian proposals for
this area.
3. You will recall that the latest Syrian position was that the line
should be drawn through the peaks of the Hills west of Kuneitra. The
Israeli leadership is making a major effort tonight within the Cabinet
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2009/12/07: LOC-HAK-260-1-46-1