Israel-United States Memorandum of Understanding
(September 1, 1975)
The Reason for American Deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan
Israel's long-term military supply needs from the United States. To
ask Congress to make available funds, the amount to be determined by
mutual agreement, to the Government of Israel necessary for a project
for the construction and stocking of the oil reserves to be stored in
Israel
Shalom:
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On the day the interim agreement was signed, Israel and the U.S.
signed three other do***ents relating to the Sinai agreement. The
first dealt With U.S. aid to Israel and future diplomatic moves in the
Middle East; the second was entitled "Assurances from the United
States Government to Israel" and dealt with issues of arms. The third
dealt with the reconvening of the Geneva, Conference. There was also a
set of American assurances to Egypt. The U.S.-Israel agreements were
not published officially but were revealed by the New York Times and
the Wa****ngton Post. Later they were entered into the Congressional
Record. Texts:
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Memorandum
The United States recognizes that the Egypt-Israel Agreement initialed
on Sept. 1, 1975 (hereinafter referred to as the agreement), entailing
the withdrawal from vital areas in Sinai, constitutes an act of great
significance on Israel's part in the pursuit of final peace. That
agreement has full United States sup****t.
1. The United States Government will make every effort to be fully
responsive, within the limits of its resources and Congressional
authorization and appropriation, on an ongoing and long-term basis, to
Israel's military equipment and other defense requirements, to its
energy requirements and to its economic needs. The needs specified in
paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 below shall be deemed eligible for inclusion
within the annual total to be requested in fiscal year '76 and later
fiscal years.
2. Israel's long-term military supply needs from the United States
shall be the subject of periodic consultations between representatives
of the U.S. and Israeli defense establishments, with agreement reached
on specific items to be included in a separate U.S.-Israeli
memorandum. To this end, a joint study by military experts will be
undertaken within three weeks. In conducting this study, which will
include Israel's 1976 needs, the United States will view Israel's
requests sympathetically, including its request for advanced and
sophisticated weapons.
3. Israel will make its own independent arrangements for oil supply to
meet its requirements through normal procedures. In the event Israel
is unable to secure its needs in this way, the United States
Government, upon notification of this fact by the Government, of
Israel, will act as follows for five years, at the end of which period
either side can terminate this arrangement on one year's notice.
(a) If the oil Israel needs to meet all its normal requirements for
domestic consumption is unavailable for purchase in cir***stances
where no quantitative restrictions exist on the ability of the United
States to procure oil to meet its normal requirements, the United
States Government will promptly make oil available for purchase by
Israel to meet all of the aforementioned normal requirements of
Israel. If Israel is unable to secure the necessary means to trans****t
such oil to Israel, the United States Government will make every
effort to help Israel secure the necessary means of trans****t.
(b) If the oil Israel needs to meet all of its normal requirements for
domestic consumption is unavailable for purchase in cir***stances
where' quantitative restrictions through embargo or otherwise also
prevent the United States from procuring oil to meet its normal
requirements, the United States Government will promptly make oil
available for purchase by Israel in accordance with the International
Energy Agency conservation and allocation formula as applied by the
United States Government, in order to meet Israel's essential
requirements. If Israel is unable to secure the necessary means to
trans****t such oil to Israel, the United States Government will make
every effort to help Israel secure the necessary means of trans****t.
Israeli and U.S. experts will meet annually or more frequently at the
request of either party, to review Israel's continuing oil
requirement.
4. In order to help Israel meet its energy needs and as part of the
over-all annual figure in paragraph 1 above, the United States agrees:
(a) In determining the over-all annual figure which will be requested
from Congress, the United States Government will give special
attention to Israel's oil im****t requirements and, for a period as
determined by Article 3 above, will take into account in calculating
that figure Israel's additional expenditures for the im****t of oil to
replace that which would have ordinarily come from Abu Rudeis and Ras
Sudar (4.5 million tons in 1975).
(b) To ask Congress to make available funds, the amount to be
determined by mutual agreement, to the Government of Israel necessary
for a project for the construction and stocking of the oil reserves to
be stored in Israel, bringing storage reserve capacity and reserve
stocks, now standing at approximately six months, up to one year's
need at the time of the completion of the project. The project will be
implemented within four years. The construction, operation and
financing and other relevant questions of the project will be the
subject of early and detailed talks between the two Governments.
5. The United States Government will not expect Israel to begin to
implement the agreement before Egypt fulfills its undertaking under
the January 1974, disengagement agreement to permit passage of all
Israeli cargoes to and from Israeli ****ts through the Suez Canal.
6. The United States Government agrees with Israel that the next
agreement with Egypt should be a final peace agreement.
7. In case of an Egyptian violation of any of the provisions of the
agreement, the United States Government is prepared to consult with
Israel as to the significance of the violation and possible remedial
action by the United States Government.
8. The United States Government will vote against any Security Council
resolution which in its judgement affects or alters adversely the
agreement.
9. The United States Government will not join in and will seek to
prevent efforts by others to bring about consideration of proposals
which it and Israel agree are detrimental to the interest of Israel.
10. In view of the long-standing U.S. commitment to the survival and
security of Israel, the United States Government will view with
particular gravity threats to Israel's security or sovereignty by a
world power. In sup****t of this objective, the United States
Government will in the event of such threat consult promptly with the
Government of Israel with respect to what sup****t diplomatic or
otherwise, of assistance it can lend to Israel in accordance with its
constitutional practices.
11. The United States Government and the Government of Israel will, at
the earliest possible time, and if possible within two months after
the signature of this do***ent, conclude the contingency plan for a
military supply operation to Israel in an emergency situation.
12. It is the United States Government's position that Egyptian
commitments under the Egypt-Israel agreement, its implementation,
validity and duration are not conditional upon any act or developments
between the other Arab states and Israel. The United States Government
regards the agreement as standing on its own.
13. The United States Government shares the Israeli position that
under existing political cir***stances negotiations with Jordan will
be directed toward an over-all peace settlement.
14. In accordance with the principle of freedom of navigation on the
high seas and free and unimpeded passage through and over straits
connecting international waters, the United States Government regards
the Straits of Bab el Mandeb and the Strait of Gibraltar as
international waterways. It will sup****t Israel's right to free and
unimpeded passage through such straits. Similarly, the United States
Government recognizes Israel's right to freedom of flights over the
Red Sea and such straits and will sup****t diplomatically the exercise
of that right.
15. In the event that the United Nations Emergency Force or any other
United Nations organ is withdrawn without the prior agreement of both
parties to the Egypt-Israel agreement and the United States before
this agreement is superseded by another agreement, it is the United
States view that the agreement shall remain binding in all its parts.
16. The United States and Israel agree that signature of the protocol
of the Egypt-Israel agreement and its full entry into effect shall not
take place before approval by the United States Congress of the U.S.
role in connection with the surveillance and observation functions
described in the agreement and its annex. The United States has
informed the Government of Israel that it has obtained the Government
of Egypt agreement to the above.
Addendum on Arms
On the question of military and economic assistance to Israel, the
following conveyed by the U.S. to Israel augments what the memorandum
of agreement states.
The United States is resolved to continue to maintain Israel's
defensive strength through the supply of advanced types of equipment,
such as the F-16 aircraft. The United States Government agrees to an
early meeting to undertake a joint study of high technology and
sophisticated items, including the Per****ng ground-to-ground missiles
with conventional warheads, with the view to giving a positive
response. The U.S. Administration will submit annually for approval by
the U.S. Congress a request for military and economic assistance in
order to help meet Israel's economic and military needs.
Assurances to Egypt
1. The United States intends to make a serious effort to help bring
about further negotiations between Syria and Israel, in the first
instance through diplomatic channels.
2. In the event of an Israeli violation of the agreement, the United
States is prepared to consult with Egypt as to the significance of the
violation and possible remedial action by the United States will
provide technical assistance to Egypt for the Egyptian early-warning
station.
Accord on Geneva
1. The Geneva peace conference will be reconvened at a time
coordinated between the United States and Israel.
2. The United States will continue to adhere to its present policy
with respect to the Palestine Liberation Organization, whereby it will
not recognize or negotiate with the Palestine Liberation Organization
so long as the Palestine Liberation Organization does not recognize
Israel's right to exist and does not accept Security Council
Resolutions 242 and 338. The United States Government will consult
fully and seek to concert its position and strategy at the Geneva
peace conference on this issue with the Government of Israel.
Similarly, the United States will consult fully and seek to concert
its position and strategy with Israel with regard to the participation
of any other additional states. It is understood that the
participation at a subsequent phase of the conference of any possible
additional state, group or organization will require the agreement of
all the initial participants.
3. The-United States will make every effort to insure at the
conference that all the substantive negotiations will be on a
bilateral basis.
4. The United States will oppose and, if necessary, vote against any
initiative in the Security Council to alter adversely the terms of
reference of the Geneva peace conference or to change Resolutions 242
and 338 in ways which are incompatible with their original purpose.
5. The United States will seek to insure that the role of the co-
sponsors will be consistent with what was agreed in the memorandum of
understanding between the United States Government and the Government
of Israel of Dec. 20, 1973.
6. The United States and Israel will concert action to assure that the
conference will be conducted in a manner consonant with the objectives
of this do***ent and with the declared purpose of the conference,
namely the advancement of a negotiated peace between Israel and its
neighbors.
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Source: Israeli Foreign Ministry
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