Four Israeli settlements in the Beisan and Jordan Valleys were shelled last night by El Fatah units armed with 120-millimeter mortars who positioned themselves on the East Bank of the Jordan River, well behind the cease-fire demarcation lines and out of range of Israeli small arms fire, a military spokesman reported today. There were no Israeli casualties but settlers were forced to spend the night in bomb shelters. They emerged early this morning and returned to their normal chores.
According to the spokesman, the shelling started at midnight when Yardena came under mortar and small arms fire, which was returned by Israeli units. A short time later, two shells exploded near Bet Yosef and Israeli positions near Gesher were attacked with machinegun fire. Positions near Ashdot Yaacov were also hit by what the military spokesman described as “flat trajectory” fire which could be either artillery or small arms. Israeli units returned the fire and silenced the Jordanian positions.
(Iraq and Kuwait have pledged full support of Arab terrorist activities against Israel and called for “Islamic and friendly nations” to redeem “usurped rights” in Palestine. Agreement was reached during a meeting in Baghdad.)
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