Britain Pessimistic on Report That Egypt Will Permit Passage of Oil Tankers to Israel

There is no confirmation of reports that Egypt is prepared to permit oil tankers bound for Haifa to pass through the Suez Canal, British authoritative quarters declared today. Stating that there is no information available of the nature of the Egyptian Cabinet’s decision on traffic through the canal, these same quarters expressed the opinion that the situation remains unchanged.

Radio reports from Arab countries said today that it was understood that the secret session of the Egyptian Cabinet this week had decided to blacklist all countries sending oil to be refined in Haifa. British tankers, however, will be allowed through the Canal on condition that the oil refined in Israel is immediately shipped out of the country, the brcadcasts said. The broadcsts added that ships passing through the Suez en route to Israel will henceforth not be searched.