ALERTED AISMIES AND THE MAJOR
DANGER POINTS ON ISRAEL BORDERS
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
EILAT, Israel—Sunday—A newspaperman visiting
here at this time as an observer could easily emerge as
a war correspondent. That's how seriously the situation
appeared only four days ago when the entire world was
startled by Nasser's demand for the withdrawal of the
United Nations Emergency Force from the Gaza
border. Behind the scenes there was inevitable action.
If Egypt was massing troops it was necessary for Israelis
to be alerted and it was no wonder that on the night
of the shocking move by the Egyptian dictator there were
fewer taxis, some work forces were depleted, uniformed
men were more visible in many areas.
The surprise would be even greater if the Arabs
actually Would stir trouble leading to war. While now,
on the Egyptian border, Israeli and Arab troops again
will face each other for the first time since 1957—
"forehead to forehead" is the way one commentator
described the new massing of troops—it is much more
realistic to believe that instead of an armed conflict
there may be another period of prolonged peace. The
reason for such a view is simple. The Arabs dare not
risk defeat—and they can't win against an Israeli force
fighting for the very existence of the State. It is rea-
sonable to believe, therefore, that Nasser, if he is on
speaking terms with the Baath rulers in Syria, will ad-
vise them to end the El Fatah incursions: else there
could well be an all-out war.
Here is one way of judging the situation here: if
an El Fatah attack were to result in the death of a
number of children or some families then the retalia-
tion will be great.
There is one balk test of Arab intentions: it in-
volves the passage of Israeli ships through Eilat and
the Red Sea by way- of Aqaba. The Israeli gain after
the Sinai Campaign was acquisition of freedom of the
Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba. Should that be interfered
with, an all-out war may be inevitable.
Meanwhile the question also is being asked: will
the presence of the U. S. Sixth Fleet in this vicinity
mean anything in the hope for peace? The coming few
days will provide answers to many questions revolving
around a danger that could well lead to the Third
World War.
Pictorial Review of Current Middle East Crisis
EILAT, A "DETONATOR CAP" — This is Israel's port of Eilat, its southernmost
point, at top of the Gulf of Aqaba. Thegulf is Israel's only outlet to the Red Sea, and the
UAR has taken steps to blockade it, an "act of war" to the Israelis. The Bay of
Aqaba is at right, and beyond are mountains of Jordan on the left and Saudi Arabia on
the right.
MIDDLE EAST ARMY LEADERS—These four men are
the Middle East army leaders sitting on a powder keg in the
increasingly tense Israeli-DAR confrontation. They are Gen.
Itzhak Rabin, 43. Israeli chief of staff (upper left); Abdel
Makin) Ameri, 47, Egyptian vice president and field marshal
(upper right); King Hussein, 31, of Jordan (lower left), and
Gen. Abdul Rahman Amer, 50, president of Iraq.
ISRAELI ARMY RESERVISTS set up a base near the Egyptian border in Southern Israel.
NEAR SYRIAN BORDER—As Israeli and Egyptian troops
settle in for a period of waiting along the tense, 117•mile Sinai
Desert border, Israeli troops take a break near their armored
vehicles somewhere near the border.
48—Friday, May 26, 1967
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
TANKS ON THE MOVE IN HOLY LAND — A United Arab Republic
tanks halts in Sinai on its way to the tense Israeli frontier.