A third Security Council meeting is scheduled tomorrow on Israeli and Egyptian complaints based upon recent military incidents. But UN sources believe that the meeting will be postponed as no resolutions are believed being circulated among the 15 members for presentation. It is expected that the Council may, if it reconvenes, express a consensus wish to have both sides abide by the cease-fire.
The sessions, begun last Friday, grew out of an Israeli commando raid into Egypt last week which resulted in the damaging of two bridges and a power station, as well as Egyptian cease-fire violations in the Suez area, among which were an Oct. 26 artillery barrage that took 15 Israeli lives and injured 34.
Ambassador Yosef Tekoah told the Council yesterday that a possible motive for Egypt’s new policy of “preventive” military operations was “to sabotage…peace-making efforts.” He said that Israel will continue efforts to promote a Middle East peace and that Foreign Minister Abba Eban had returned to New York from Jerusalem with “further proposals and additional clarifications.”
Lord Caradon of Britain told the Council that new hostilities have threatened to bring about new fighting and said that if the UN fails this year to bring about peace, “then surely 1969 will be the year of retribution…the year when hate and fear and hopelessness take full command, when the horror of another war becomes a terrible certainty.” Endalkachew Makonnen of Ethiopia said that hopes of progress in the work of UN Middle East peace mediator Dr. Gunnar V. Jarring had been dampened by recent events and said that the Council’s Nov. 22, 1967 Middle East resolution must be implemented.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abba Eban was scheduled to meet Dr. Jarring today for the second consecutive day. He had already addressed several questions to Egyptian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Riad on Egypt’s attitude toward peace through Dr. Jarring. It was reported that Mr. Riad was awaiting a reply through Mr. Jarring of his question about whether Israel was prepared to withdraw from territories it occupied during the June, 1967 war.
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