Dr. Ralph Bunche, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, met today with Jordan and Israel leaders in their respective capitals and with the chiefs of his own truce organization here in a determined UN effort to check growing Jordan-Israel tension.
Dr. Bunche conferred in Amman with the Jordanian Foreign Minister, Samirel Rifai. He flew back to Jerusalem for consultations with the UN truce observance staff and tonight, had a 90-minute meeting with Premier David Ben Gurion.
Israeli officials described this meeting as a “courtesy visit” but Dr. Bunche later termed it “a most interesting and helpful exchange of views. ” A communique issued in Amman indicated that the meeting there had been largely devoted to the Mt. Scopus situation and that Dr, Bunche had agreed to convey the Jordanian views to Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold.
Dr. Bunche said that his sudden visit to the Middle East had been at the request of Mr. Hammarskjold after Major General Carl Carlson von Horn, the UN truce chief, had asked for directives in dealing with the situation resulting when Jordan last week blocked an Israel convoy to Mr. Scopus. Since Gen. Horn was unable to leave his post. Dr. Bunche flew in from Geneva to meet him, he said. He arrived here yesterday and will leave for Brussels after a few days.
Israel sources denied reports published in the Jordanian press today that Dr. Bunche had transmitted to Premier Ben Gurion a letter from Mr. Hammarskjold requesting Israel to resume participation in the Israel-Jordan Mixed Armistice Commission.
Israel has not attended meetings of that commission since 1956 on the grounds that the commission had not been able to convince Jordan to prevent armed infiltration of Israel territory.
Israel sources had predicted that the occasion of Dr Bunches visit would be used to press Israel’s demands for full implementation of Article Eight of the Israel-Jordan armistice. This provided, among other things, for free access to Mt. Scopus and to religious places like the Wailing Wall in the Old City.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
