ABSTRACT
This Israeli stance, which shifted the onus back onto the PCC, led to great disappointment within the US delegation. In discussions with Gideon Rafael, the American members of the PCC were reported to have argued that Israel's unconditional acceptance of the proposals would 'score important points' and would be of 'great assistance' to the PCC, giving it "'ammunition [to] smoke [the] Arabs out" clearly indicating they refuse peace'. Ely Palmer and James Barco also sought to reassure the Israelis by offering a very restrictive definition of the sort of mediation the Commission would be offering to the parties.51
