MEMO
B'NAI B'RITH

1640 RHODE ISLAND AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20036 EX 3-5284

FROM: David M. Blumberg

DATE: December 28, 1973

CONFIDENTIAL

SUBJECT: Meeting with
Secretary Kissinger

TO: Board of Governors

On Thursday, December 27, a group of Jewish organizational leaders -- from the Presidents Conference and the UJA -- met with Secretary of State Kissinger for 70 minutes. While the meeting was off-the-record, I believe I can share certain of my observations with you _confidentially and not for publication_.

Dr. Kissinger was easy and comfortable in manner even though the picture he painted included many dark prospects. He began by expressing the hope that there would be a continuing dialogue with this representative group, that we may have differences from time to time, but he hoped we could talk them out frankly.

I took it to be an evidence of his desire to be candid when he said he was not telling us anything that he had not told the Israelis and that, indeed, he had discussed the prospect of holding this meeting with Ambassador Dinitz.

Dr. Kissinger made one basic point. There is no U. S. confrontation with Israel and there is no U. S. pressure on Israel. There may be disagreement on practical steps towards achieving peace and security, but there is no disagreement on objectives.

The Yom Kippur War was disastrous for Israel. It is not enough for Israel to win a war, if at the war's end the Arabs find themselves in a better position politically and economically. In this war, Israel might have lost everything if the U.S. had not come into the picture. And in the first days of the war, there was division among American government leaders as to America's course, but two men (presumably Dr. Kissinger was one of them) urged immediate military shipments. The Arabs on the other hand were more united as a result of the war, and had the backing of the rest of the world. And since the oil embargo the world is even more responsive to Arab interests. Israel is left with the U. S. as its only friend.

Confidential -- to Board of Governors -- 2

American Jewry must understand that the U. S. to be effective in the Middle East must develop credibility among the Arabs and this may require concessions to the Arab point of view.

The immediate problem is to effect a disengagement of Egyptian and Israeli troops on the banks of the Suez. We must create an environment where the enemy troops will not be staring down each other's throats. It would be disastrous if the Arabs started another war. Even if they started it they would still have the support of the rest of the world.

But Syria appears to be ready to start up the war and it may begin hostilities in four weeks or so. If Egyptian and Israeli troops could be disengaged on the Suez, it would reduce the possibility of a Syrian attack.

Israel had reservations about sitting down in Geneva with the Syrians unless the Syrians produced the list of POW's. Israel would have been blamed by world opinion if she had refused to come to Geneva. Now, Syria has taken Israel off the hook by boycotting the Geneva meeting while Israel is discussing peace. Even if Syria should later decide to come to Geneva and Israel withdrew on the POW issue, her image as a seeker of peace would be preserved.

What about the sincerity of the Arabs in these negotiations? Dr. Kissinger believes Egyptian President Sadat to be sincere. He is working for Egyptian interests but he has the problem of the strong pan-Arab nationalist movement. Syrian leader Assad is a man who wants to see Israel destroyed. King Faisal of Saudi Arabia is a religious zealot who has only one objective, the liberation of Jerusalem; but he is a man who when he makes a promise will stick to it. Now that the shooting has stopped the many divergent philosophies among the Arabs are beginning to surface again, and the divisions among the Arab states are growing.

Regardless of the issue of sincerity, the U. S. will not rely on any Arab statement as a guarantee of Israel's security, which will have to be based on objective considerations.

When Golda Meir was in Washington immediately after the war, she was very tough and unyielding. But when Dr. Kissinger saw her in Israel, she was ready to discuss withdrawal in a context of peace. So far, neither Israel nor the U. S. has broached the matter of U. S. treaty guarantees.

Confidential -- to Board of Governors -- 3

Israel's survival will require long term military and economic aid from the U. S. If the overall U. S. defense budget is reduced, it will hurt Israel. It will be difficult to keep aid high when the general budget is reduced.

Concerning the Soviet role: Dr. Kissinger does not believe that the Soviets encouraged the Arabs to start the Yom Kippur War. This he bases not only on his conversations with the Soviets but on his conversations with Arab leaders. Despite massive arms shipments, the Soviet position with the Arabs is not good. The U. S. and the Soviets do not have a joint scenario for peace in the Middle East. The first steps for the Geneva conference were taken by the U. S. and the Soviets were brought into the picture after the U. S. worked out the basic details.

The oil pressure will remain great on the U. S. for the next three years. But there may be some improvements in the next 6 to 12 months.

Dr. Kissinger's basic concern today is that the equilibrium in the Middle East and Geneva not be upset and that the momentum for negotiations be continued. Asked about the Israeli elections at the end of this week, Dr. Kissinger said he hoped they would not affect the momentum for peace.

DMB/E/s

cc: International Council

DAVID M. BLumberg
President

B'NAI B'RITH

1640 RHODE ISLAND AVENUE, NORTHWEST, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036 • (202) 393-5284

February 13, 1974

Honorable Henry A. Kissinger
Secretary of State
Washington, D. C.

Dear Mr. Secretary:

Several months ago we received a copy of an unsigned memorandum purporting to be a minute of the meeting you had with Jewish intellectuals; we took care to see that it was not circulated. I would like you to know that we were surprised and disturbed by the article in the Washington Post based on that memorandum. We regard the story as gratuitous and hurtful, and when the Jewish Telegraphic Agency called us for comment we so advised them.

I am glad that the productive meeting you held with Jewish organization leaders was treated with confidentiality and responsibility. I take the liberty of enclosing a copy of my report of the meeting to my leadership. I hope you will agree that the report was discreet and constructive.

With best regards.

Enclosure

THE SECRETARY OF STATE
WASHINGTON

March 9, 1974

Dear Mr. Blumberg:

I want to thank you for your considerate
letter of February 13. It is good to hear that
you found our December meeting productive.
I, too, thought it was a fruitful session.

I am grateful to you for your continued
support and absolute discretion.

Mr. David M. Blumberg,
B'nai B'rith,
1640 Rhode Island Avenue, Northwest,
Washington, D. C.

B'NAI B'RITH

1640 RHODE ISLAND AVENUE, NORTHWEST, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036 • (202) 857-6600

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

September 21, 1976

The Honorable Henry A. Kissinger
United States Department of State
Washington, D. C. 20503

Dear Mr. Secretary:

Now that B'nai B'rith's International Convention is
over, we look back upon it with a combination of
relief and gratification.

The general feeling is that it was a good convention
with a proper balance of business, inspiration and
glamour.

The convention had several high points. Need I say
that your surprise appearance was a highlight par
excellence. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful
we are for your graciousness, first in coming to the
reception in your honor, and then agreeing to appear
at the convention plenary, and finally to address us.
The ripple of excitement that swept through the audience
and the wave of applause that greeted your coming on to
the dais were testimony to the cherished position you
occupy among members of B'nai B'rith all over the world.

In behalf of the Convention Committee, and my own
personal behalf, I thank you most warmly for your
thoughtfulness and your cooperation.

With best wishes in the New Year, I am,

DMB/s

B'NAI B'RITH

DAVID M. BLUMBERG
President

October 22, 1976

Honorable Henry A. Kissinger
Department of State
Washington, D. C.

Dear Mr. Secretary:

We are grateful indeed to you for the privilege of yesterday's meeting. It must have been apparent to you how impressed our people were by your candid insights on the matters that are important to us and by your readiness to listen sympathetically to our points of view.

We appreciate particularly the time you accorded us, even though at that late hour your business day was far from over. I hope that you found our visit of some benefit and that we may have the privilege of another such meeting in the near future.

With kind regards and good wishes.