Tension High in Huleh; Britain and France Notified of Israel’s Stand; Curfew Imposed

Tension remained high in the Huleh region today as the Israeli authorities in charge of the drainage project began armoring tractors and trucks used in the reclamation of the vast swamp area located in the Israeli-Syrian frontier.

Israeli workers digging drainage canals on Jewish-owned land in the demilitarized zone of the swamp region have come under intermittent fire from Syrian troops for the last few days. In the latest move to insure the safety of both Israeli workers and policemen and Arabs living in the region, the Israeli authorities today imposed a strict curfew in the area. At the same time, it was learned, the Israeli Foreign Ministry has informed the British and French Ministers at Tel Aviv, who have expressed a keen interest in the situation, of developments.

A representative of the Foreign Ministry explained to the British and French envoys that the Jewish state is not prepared to yield its sovereignty over the demilitarized zone. The Israeli-Syrian armistice agreement, he pointed out, provides only for the demilitarization of the area–imposition of restrictions on military personnel and weapons in the area–but does not prohibit normal development work, such as was initiated in the Huleh area last week.

SYRIA AGREES TO CEASE-FIRE; U.N. OFFICIALS MEET WITH ISRAELIS

Meanwhile, the U.N. chairman of the Israeli-Syrian Mixed Armistice Commission, who returned this afternoon from conferences in Damascus with high Syrian government and army officials, said that the Arab troops in the Huleh area would observe a cease-fire as of tomorrow morning to give the armistice commission an opportunity to study the situation. The chairman, Col. H. Boissavy, said that the Syrians have placed two complaints before the armistice unit: one against the alleged bringing of mortars into the area by the Israelis; and the other against the use of Israeli troops in the demilitarized zone.

Col. Boissavy asserted that the transfer earlier this week-end of some 650 Arabs living in the Israeli zone of the demilitarized area was a violation of the status quo. He added that if the Israelis continue to work in the demilitarized zone, they will be violating the armistice pact. The population transfer was carried out to protect the Arabs themselves and to insure that they did not participate in the Syrian attacks on Israeli workers.

Later today, Col. Boissavy and several U.N. aides met with representatives of the Israeli Foreign Office and top army leaders including Brig. Yigal Yadin, Israeli Chief of Staff. A communique issued after the session did not say whether Israel would or would not cease drainage operations in the demilitarized zone. Earlier, the Israelis declared they would not discuss the issue in the armistice commission until a cease-fire had been instituted and observed by the Arabs and until the body included on its agenda Israel’s complaints against Syrian firing in the zone.