Syria today complained to the United Nations that Israeli jet planes fired machine guns and rockets against a Syrian village near Lake Tiberias yesterday–but Israel immediately replied that “there is not the slightest proof” to the allegations.
In a letter to Secretary General U Thant today, Selah el Din Tarazi, Syria’s permanent representative here, alleged that two Israeli Jet planes flew over Syrian territory yesterday morning firing machine guns and rockets, “with which they bombarded the village of el Douga.” A few minutes earlier, according to the Syrian complaint, an Israeli armored vessel on Lake Tiberias shot automatic fire and mortar shells at Syrian positions at el Douga, “causing the Syrian positions to return fire. “
A spokesman for the Israeli delegation here declared: “On Friday last and again on Sunday an Israeli police boat carrying out routine patrols on the Lake came under fire from Syrian fortified positions near the shore. These fresh cases of illegal and unprovoked armed attack by Syrian forces on Israel vessels within Israel territory are a serious danger to the peace. There is not the slightest proof to Syrian reports that Israel planes and rockets were used, or that the firing was initiated by the Israel police boat. “
The Syrian letter did not request a meeting of the Security Council, but asked only that the contents be circulated to all members of the United Nations.
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