Little Optimism About M. E. Peace Prospects

(Continued from Page 1)
incidents were reported.
An explosion in Hebron Monday
injured three children and three
adults. But first reports that a
14-year-old Arab boy had been
killed proved to be false. The ex-
plosion occurred near the Cave of
Mahpela—the Patriarchs' Tomb—
the scene of controversy between
Moslem and Jewish worshippers. A
number of persons have been ar-
rested. Two of the injured were
Jews who were able to drive their
car to Hadassah hospital in Jeru-
salem for medical treatment. An
Arab, over 60, was seriously hurt.
The tomb—reputed to be Abra-
ham's burial site—which lies with-
in the Ibrahimi Mosque compound,
was the target of a terrorist's gre-
ade Oct. 9 that injured 42 wor-
shippers and sightseers.
A 3-year-old Arab child died
Tuesday of injuries received in the
explosion in Hebron which injured
two other children and three
adults, one of the latter seriously.
First reports that a 14-year-old
Arab boy was killed while elleged-
ly carrying a bag of explosives
proved false. Security officials be-
lieve that the explosives were
placed on the scene by a group of
children as no adults were in the
vicinity at the time.
A 27-year-old Arab student
from Nablus was sentenced to
seven years in prison by a mili-
tary tribunal Monday. He was
found guilty on several counts,
including printing anti-Israel
pamphlets and for inciting stu-
dents to strikes and violence.
The Israeli coihmando unit that
struck deep into Egypt on Oct. 31
in .a night raid more than 100 miles
west of the Red Sea shores wreck-
ed two bridges at the Nile River,
blasting a huge transformer sta-
tion. All of the commandos re-
turned safely to their bases.
The raid, the first of its kind by
the Israelis in the 23 years of hos-
tilities between Israel and Egypt,
came after a long series of Egyp-
tian violations of the Suez Canal
cease-fire line, culminating in a
surprise artillery barrage on Oct.
26 all along the canal which cost
the lives of 20 Israeli soldiers.
The bridges hit by the raiders
were the Qena bridge, a new
bridge over the Nile opened to
traffic last year, and the Naja
Hammdi bridge, a 40-year-old
structure built to serve as a Nile
river regulator. Major damage re-
portedly was done to the electric
station which has nine units. All
were blown up or wrecked in a
raging fire that followed the blast.
The station provided electricity
for the entire area and was an
important relay to Cairo. It was
reported that large areas of Egypt
were blacked out by the Israeli
action.
The Qena bridge center was
damaged, leaving the bridge im-
passable pending repairs. The
other bridge also was made use-
less.
There is little optimism here
about the prospects for peace talks
with the Arabs. Escalation of hos-
tilities at the Suez Canal and a
new tough tone taken by Egyptian
diplomats in private talks with
Western statesmen contribute to
this mood. The Egyptians said that
new and more violent attacks than
the Oct. 26 artillery barrage at the
canal would take place—a view
echoed by the authoritative Cairo
newspaper Al Abram which warn-
ed that Egypt could retaliate for
Israel's Thursday commando
strike into Egypt. There is little
expectation that Egypt will reply
in the affirmative to Israel's ques-
tion through Dr. Jarring about
whether it was willing to start
talks aimed at a peace treaty.
Cairo's new tough line was report-
edly mentioned in an exchange of
letters last week between Prime
Minister Levi Eshkol and Presi-
dent Johnson.
Adding to tensions were reports
from the U.S. Sixth Fleet that the
Soviet Navy had moved dredges
and machinery into Egyptian ports
and speculation that the Kremlin

would try to force a reopening of Minister Alba Eban to continue
Reports here indicated that the craft carrier Moskva left the
the canal, closed since.the Six-Day
his talks with the United Nations State Department wanted to block Mediterranean Monday for the
War. Russia is said to be uncer-
peace emissary, Dr. Gunnar the transaction or delay it until Black Sea, accompanied by three
tain about possible - United States Jarring. The decision also con- after the election in the hope of escorts. Eighteen Soviet naval
reaction, diplomatic sources said.
firmed Eban's speech at the persuading the next President to vessels have entered the Mediter-
(Pessimism prevailed a mong
General Assembly last month in avoid a final conclusion of the sale. ranean during the past 29 days.)
Western circles at the UN. One
which he outlined a nine-point Israeli Jets Drive Off
—Protests from Lebanon
source said that Egyptian Foreign peace approach.
Protests from Lebanon
Egyptian MIGs Over Sinai
Minister Mahmoud Riad told a
Cabinet approval was given over
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Israeli jets Lodged in United Nations
Western diplomat that the "Jarring the opposition of the two Gahal
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. (JTA)
battled
and
drove
off
two
Egyptian
mission is dead but not yet (Herut-Liberal Alignment) minis-
MIG 21 jets Sunday in a brief clash —Lebanon lodged two complaints
buried." Queried about this state- ters, Menahem Beigin and Joseph in the skies north of Kantara on this week with the United Nations
ment an Israeli diplomat said, Saphir, who contended that Eban
Security Council alleging shellings
"We have not given up hope. We had exceeded his mandate in tell- the Suez Canal. According to
military spokesman, the Egyptian by Israeli forces of positions inside
have not said it is dead. But there ing the General Assembly Israel
the Lebanese borders. In a letter
aircraft
attempted
to
violate
is not much hope. There was some would be willing to discuss some
Israel-held air space over Sinai. to the Security Council President,
slight hope last week, but there is substantive measures with the
One Egyptian aircraft was report- Lebanon's representative, Ambas-
less now following Egypt's harden- Arabs through Dr. Jarring without
ed emitting clouds of black smoke sador Edouard Ghorra, charged
ed attitude.")
insisting on direct talks from the as it broke off and fled. The battle that Israeli forces fired 150 mortar
Curfews imposed on Tulkarem, start.
was the second clash between Is- shells at two border positions near
where Arab businessmen went on
King Hussein's loyal Bedouin raeli and Egyptian jets over Sinai the villages of Honine and Al-
strike Sunday, and on Bethlehem,
Army put down Syrian-backed in little more than a week.
Malikyah on Oct. 28.
where students attempted an anti- Arab commandos angered by his
A report from Lt. Gen. Odd Bull,
Defense Minister Moshe Dayan
Israel demonstration, were lifted "soft stand" on Israel Monday
and Chief of Staff Gen. Chaim Bar- chief of the United Nations Truce
as Defense Minister Moshe Dayan in some four hours of fighting in
Supervision Organization (UNTSO)
Lev
visited
Eilat,
Israel's
southern-
reported to the cabinet on rising Amman, the capital. The Jor-
most town and deep-sea port which in the Middle East, confirmed a
unrest in West Bank towns and vil- danian Interior Minister went on
was hit by a rocket attack Satur- Lebanese complaint that the vil-
lages.
the state radio to denounce com-
day
night. Three civilians were lage of Almajydiah was shelled
Nablus was the only sizeable mandos who fired on govern-
slightly injured by the rockets from Israeli territory during the
West Bank town where a round-
ment forces as "criminals, which were fired by Katyusha 130 night of Oct. 26-27. The report said
the-clock curfew remained in ef-
traitors and bought individuals."
mm. rocket launchers, a Czecho- that an on-the-scene investigation
fect. Other West Bank towns — He suggested that the guerrillas
slovakian made weapon used in- by UN observers and the testimony
Ramallah, El Byrah, Beit Jala,
concentrate their energies
creasingly in recent weeks by Arab of witnesses showed that about 120
Hebron and Jericho — were not against Israelis occupying the
terrorists. The attack was the first mortar shells were fired in about
placed under curfew and were
West Bank.
40 salvos.
time Eilat has come under fire.
quiet after a series of anti-
According to Beirut radio, the
Israeli's A in b a s s a d o r Josef
A border policeman was serious-
Israel demonstrations and business Jordanian government served no-
Tekoah accused the Syrian, govern-
ly
injured
and
two
others
suffered
shut-downs during the past week. tice it will not let its policies be
ment of following a policy of
The curfew in Bethlehem, a large- dictated by terrorists, who com- slight injuries when their vehicle "totalitarian ideologies, torture of
ly Christian-Arab town, was the pletely oppose a peace agreement hit a mine near El Hamma on the Israeli prisoners, oppression of
Yarmuk
River
Saturday
night.
On
first since the June 1967 war and between Israel and Jordan and
Syrian Jews and other Syrian min-
was imposed after a group of want the Jewish State extermi- Friday, two Israeli soldiers were orities."
wounded fatally and two others
about 50 schoolgirls staged a nated.
An acrimonious exchange de-
suffered
slight
wounds
in
a
Jor-
demonstration. It was lifted, as
The semi-official Cairo news-
veloped in the special political
was the Tulkarem curfew, after paper Al Abram reported that the danian artillery attack on Hama-
committee
of the General As-
the Mayors and town councillors Egyptian War Ministry had begun diyeh village in the Beisan area.
sembly between the Israeli rep-
Israeli authorities expelled 10 resentative, Moshe Erell, and tho
pledged to prevent further unrest. to distribute weapons to the newly
Shops in Ramallah were open, created Peoples' Defense Force. more West Bank Arabs accused
representative of sey- --...; Arab
among them a pharmacy owned by The militia was established by de- of inciting and abetting civil un-
and Africa ,* 7:...es who insisted
Mayor Nadim Zaro who was de- cree of President Nasser 24 hours rest, among them several known on .1.tting South Africa's policy
tained last week for inciting anti- after Israel's commando raid last Communists.
of apartheid with "Zionist crimes
Israel demonstrations. He was re- week deep into Egyptian territory
A civilian car and a military ve-
in Palestine." At one point in the
leased after promising to prevent which resulted in damage to two hicle were attacked by bazooka
exchange, the Saudi Arabian
new demonstrations and strikes.
fire Monday night on the Sam- delegate, Omar Azouni, accused
bridges and a power station.
Deputy Prime Minister Yigal
A petition charging Israel with makh-El Hamma road in the south-
Erell of "gall and hutzpa."
told the Knesset that the United "Nazi-like and barbaric acts" on ern Golan Heights which runs
The item on the agenda was
States had made it clear to the the West Bank was signed by 300 parallel with the Jordanian border, apartheid. The acting chairman of
Soviet Union that "Israel would persons in Nablus and sent to a military spokesman reported. the committee, Lannung, of Den-
not be alone" in the event of Soviet United Nations Secretary General There were no casualties in either mark, repeatedly asked the speak-
military intervention in any major U Thant. A copy of the petition vehicle.
ers to keep to the matter under
clash between Israel and the Arab was brought to the Nablus military
Military police arrested Mayor discussion. Erell too said he hoped
states. The Deputy Premier said governor by a 10-member delega- Nadim Zaro of Ramallah on that the delegates would refrain
that the United States position had tion headed by Mayor Ha mdi
suspicion of inciting anti-Israel from "senseless insults and propa-
been conveyed to the Soviet Union Kanaan. The petition said that the
demonstrations and violence in
ganda." But representatives of
during the Six-Day War via the West Bank Arab residents had no
that West Bank town.
Libya, Pakistan, Yem a n and
"hot line." He called this "one of means of expressing disapproval
Students at a girls' high school Mauretania, in addition to the
the most important decisions ever of the Israeli occupation except by in Gaza returned to their classes Saudia Arabian, continued to casti-
taken by an American President. strikes and demonstrations.
peacefully as the presence of Is- gate "the transplanted Zionist
Gen. Allon's statement about the
raeli troops stymied their attempt Jews in Palestine" who "brought
United States produced an evasive State Dept. Explains
to organize anti-Israel demonstra- unt old misery" and allegedly
response in Washington where Jordanian Demonstrations
tions.
"fragmented a thriving nation."
WASHINGTON (JTA)—State De-
State Department spokesman Rob-
A prominent West Bank Arab
The Jordanian shelling of Is-
ert J. McCloskey said merely that partment sources offered extenua- who was formerly a member of rael's Red Sea port of Eilat
United States policy was one of tions for violent anti-Israel, anti- the Jordanian parliament pleaded
Saturday which' wounded three
respect for the territorial integrity American demonstrations in front not guilty before a military court persons drew a warning in a
of all states in the Middle East, of the United States Embassy in to charges of espionage and con-
letter
submitted to the Security
that this policy had been made Amman, Jordan, in which 12 win- tacts with the enemy. Moustafa
Council by Tekoah.
clear by Presidents Kennedy and dows were smashed and an Amer- Ahmed Abou Becker, of Jenin, has
The Israeli envoy, notifying the
Johnson and that be had nothing to ican+ flag was torn down and rip- been brought to trial for allegedly Council's November president Otto
ped to shreds.
add to it now.
handing over and planning to hand R. Borch of Denmark, of the inci-
The sources said it was neces- over information of military and
Yosef Tekoah, Israel's ambas-
dent, listed 36 attacks or sabotage
sador at the United Nations, sary to understand Arab passions security nature to the Iraqi Em- actions allegedly carried out from
charged in a letter to the Security and that the attack had to be view- bassy in Amman. According to the Jordan since Oct. 23.
Council that Egypt knew in ad- ed againt the background of Arab- prosecution. Becker was also ac-
The Security Council was cau-
vance that its "premeditated" ar- Israeli tensions. They said U.S. cussed of collecting information on
tioned Monday that the unanim-
tillery barrage would prejudice arms shipments to Jordan would Israeli mobilization procedures.
ity achieved by its Nov. 22, 1967
Middle East peace efforts. He continue. The demonstrations, and
Three Arab saboteurs were kill-
resolution on the Middle East
added Egypt had "gravely esca- similar ones in Lebanon, Syria and ed and three Israeli soldiers were might turn out to be the "maxi-
lated" the military deadlock by other Arab states occurred on the wounded, one seriously, in a brief
mum unanimity" achievable in
use of ground-to-groUnd rockets. 51st anniversary of the Balfour but fierce gun battle on the slopes
the Middle East conflict and
Some sources said that the Soviet- Declaration, the document issued of Mount Hermon in the northern
might not exist forever. The
made Luna missiles could not have in 1917 by the then British Foreign Golan Heights this week.
speaker, Joao Augusto de Araujo
been used in the Oct. 26 barrage Secretary Lord Arthur Balfour,
Dayan said on Monday that
Castro, of Brazil, addressed the
promising the creation of a Jewish
without Soviet approval.
any attempt to push Israel back
15-nation body as it resumed de-
The Times of London reported National Home in Palestine. Re- from the East Bank of the Suez
bate on complaints lodged by
from Cairo that the Nasser regime ports from Amman said that Am-
Canal would mean war.
Egypt and Israel over violations
refuses to consider that artillery man police were forced to dis-
Asked at a press conference of the cease-fire along the Suez
barrage to be a cease-fire viola- charge tear gas grenades and to whether the presence of Soviet Canal.
tion on ground that the presence fire over the heads of the rioters. naval equipment including dredges
Castro followed Mohamed Awad
of Israeli forces on the Suez Canal There was an unconfirmed report in Egyptian ports may indicate el-Kony of Egypt, who charged Is-
east bank was counter to the Se- of one death.
that an attempt will be made by rael with trying to destroy his
curity Council Nov. 1967 resolution.
Israeli's Ambassador Yitzhak Russia to clear the Suez Canal, country's "vital economic struc-
The Times said this view was Rabin met with Assistant Secre- closed since the Six-Day Har, Day- ture" by attacks far removed from
Lt.
Gen.
Odd
Bull,
tary of State for Near Eastern an said the only way that Russia
conveyed to
the cease-fire line; and Armand
chief of the UN Truce Supervision Affairs Parker T. Hart in what could move Israeli troops from the
Berard, of France, who said such
Organization, by Salah Gohar, was described as "the beginning of canal would be through war and
incidents were almost inevitable
Egyptian Foreign Ministry under- a series of meetings on various he did not believe Moscow wanted when there was no solution in sub-
secretary. Gohar reportedly con- levels" to discuss the possible sale to risk a war. Asked for his evalu-
stance and added that "the occu-
tended that the Egyptians hold of Phantom jet fighter-bombers to ation of the growing Soviet in the
that the Council resolution calls for Israel. U.S. sources said that con- Mediterranean, Dayan said this pation must end." Berard ac-
knowledged
that responsibility for
siderable time would' be required was a matter for NATO.
unconditional Israeli withdrawal.
cease-fire violations "were some-
After a day-long discussion, the before the negotiations reach a
(The Soviet missile-armed air- times shared" by both sides.
Israel Cabinet confirmed a for- stage requiring a report by the
mula which will enable. Foreign Secretary of State to the President. THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, Novembar 8, 1968-37