A blunt warning by Defense Minister Moshe Dayan that Jordan desist from its violations of the cease-fire agreement all along the demarcation line with Israel or face “calamitous consequences” was incorporated into a resolution adopted by the Knesset (Parliament) today following a report by Gen. Dayan on the security situation. The resolution, approved by a vote of 65 to 4, was in effect an endorsement of the Government’s policy as enunciated by the Minister of Defense.
Debate on Gen. Dayan’s report was low-keyed, as was Dayan’s presentation itself. But Knessel members were obviously in a grim mood over the growing incursions by Jordanian-based saboteurs and terrorists into Israel and Israel-held territory. The feeling among many members was that Jordan must be warned in no uncertain terms that it was courting disaster if it persists on its present course. One veteran MK, David Hacohen, noted that Jordan’s Yarmuk Dam is located Just across the Israeli border and warned that its destruction by artillery could wreak havoc with the Jordanian economy.
Gen. Dayan began his report last night and continued this morning. He disclosed today that 18 Israelis have been killed and 68 wounded in clashes or acts of sabotage along the Israel-Jordan demarcation line since last June’s cease-fire agreement went into effect. Three of the Israeli fatalities and six of the wounded were civilians. The Jordanians, on their part, suffered more than 200 killed and more than 700 wounded, he said. Gen. Dayan reported further that since the cease-fire last June, the Jordanians initiated artillery fire across the demarcation line 41 times. There had been 13 cases of sabotage, 12 mining incidents and 24 attempts at sabotage that were foiled.
He warned Jordan that Israel would brook no interference by Amman in the internal matters of the West Bank. In that connection, he noted that the Jordanians have prevented former West Bankers from returning to their homes under both the refugee scheme and the family reunion plan. Family reunions were halted when the Jordanians opened fire on Israeli soldiers and International Red Cross representatives at the Allenby Bridge earlier this month. Their failure to guarantee the safety of IRC personnel has led to the complete suspension of the plan. Gen. Dayan said and Jordan has refused an Israeli offer to resume it without the IRC presence.
He said that Israel was doing everything possible to maintain normal life in the occupied territories. He noted, for example, that West Bank residents are permitted to visit Arab countries and West Bankers and residents of the Gaza Strip can cross the line for seasonal employment.
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.
