1510Z 08 June 1967 transmitted message text from
American Embassy, Tel Aviv to
Secretary of State

EXDIS

REF: CONF. 0825

ATTACK BY ISRAELI NAVAL AND AIR UNITS ON AN ALLEGED US
FLAG VESSEL REPORTED BY REFTEL. ISRAELIS OBVIOUSLY
SHOCKED BY ERROR AND TENDER SINCERE APOLOGIES.
INVESTIGATION NOW UNDER WAY TO OBTAIN MORE INFO
ABOUT VESSEL. ISRAELIS DO NOT INTEND GIVE ANY PUBLICITY
TO INCIDENT. URGE STRONGLY THAT WE TOO AVOID PUBLICITY.
IF IT IS US FLAG VESSEL ITS PROXIMITY TO SCENE CONFLICT
COULD FEED ARAB SUSPICIONS OF US-ISRAEL COLLUSIONS.

GP-3. BARBOUR
BT