A research guide / Israel State Archives

Following the documents.

From a letter in London to a confidential conversation in Jerusalem. The records bring us closer to the questions, choices and daily work of a diplomat.

A closer reading

3 September 1954 · London

What makes a channel possible?

In a secret letter, Gazit examined British mediation for confidential contact with Jordan. He raised questions about its aims, secrecy and relationship to existing channels. The editor’s note records that Britain ultimately withdrew from the initiative.[IS1]

Document 347 · printed pp. 588–589

Explore the sources and reading notes (1)

[IS1] Gazit to Gideon Rafael — 3 September 1954 ↗
Israel State Archives, Documents on Foreign Policy, vol. 9, ed. Na‘ami Barzilay, 2004. Document 347, pp. 588–589; original 130.15/3745/3. Letter and both editorial notes read.

20 September 1955 · Rangoon

The Asian diplomatic arena

A Foreign Ministry telegram to Gazit in Rangoon concerned relations with China. It instructed the recipients to explain Israel’s UN abstention, while a positive response to the proposal for diplomatic relations was still awaited. Gazit was a recipient of these instructions.[IS2]

Document 381 · printed p. 564

Explore the sources and reading notes (1)

[IS2] Asian Division to Avidar and Gazit — 20 September 1955 ↗
Israel State Archives, Documents on Foreign Policy, vol. 10, ed. Yemima Rosenthal, 2016. Document 381, p. 564; original 130.09/2326/3. Telegram and note read.

March–April 1975

Defining the contact

In a signed memorandum, Gazit distinguished the Soviet contacts from negotiations. His record of the 4 April meeting returns to the question of whom the visitors represented. It documents the effort to clarify the channel’s status.[IS4]

PDF pp. 3–4, 11–12

Explore the sources and reading notes (1)

[IS4] Director-General’s Office — Soviet Union: contacts ↗
חצ-6823/8 · 000azrg. Pages 1–12 visually inspected, including memoranda signed by Gazit.

Keep the file number. Open the next door.

Selected files from the archive’s official public Pinpoint collection, plus an ISA copy preserved at NYU.

Selected pages read1975 (file title)

Mordechai Gazit — Interim Agreement 1975: principal documents

Archival referenceחצ-5977/8000p1o3

Includes the agreement and annexes, an early-warning proposal and the UN statement at the 22 September 1975 protocol ceremony.

Cover and pages 2–30 visually inspected; remainder unread.

Selected pages read1 January 1974–15 April 1975 (cover)

Director-General’s Office — Soviet Union: contacts

Archival referenceחצ-6823/8000azrg

Memoranda of 31 March 1975 and a 4 April conversation recorded on 6 April document the Soviet channel’s principles and the dispute over its status.

Pages 1–12 visually inspected, including memoranda signed by Gazit.

Catalogue record checked