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Arab League Head Hedges on New War; Cairo Editor Says It’s ‘definite’

August 12, 1968
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An official of the Arab League hedged, in a French radio interview here last night on prospects of a new Arab-Israeli war breaking out in the Middle East. But another highly placed Arab said he thought a new war was no longer just a possibility but had become, in the last two months, “something definite.” The latter view was taken by Mohammed Heikal, editor of the influential Cairo newspaper Al Ahram which often reflects official Egyptian policy. Mr. Heikal, who has been described as a confidant of President Nasser, said in Cairo that a “fourth round of war” was expected In both Arab and Israeli circles “when the Arabs are strong enough.”

But Abdel Khalek Hassouna, general secretary of the Arab League.said the chances of war “will depend on the international political situation.” He added, however, that “we must be aware that everything is possible.” He said the goal of the next Arab summit meeting was “to wipe out the consequences of the (June, 1967) war.”

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