Prime Minister David Ben Gurion today reported to the Cabinet on his talks with United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold during the week-end. It is understood that the closer and less official contacts established between Mr. Hammarskjold and Mr. Ben Gurion–particularly the day which the UN Secretary General spent at Sdeh Boker–have improved relations between the former and Israeli leaders.
The question now is whether such improved relations will stand up to the test of political realities. One of the major subjects discussed at Sdeh Boker was the implementation of Article VIII of the Israel-Jordan armistice agreement which provides for arrangements to assure unimpeded access of Israel to the Mt. Scopus area–now held by Jordan–where the Hebrew University and Hadassah Hospital are located.
It was learned here today that when Mr. Hammarskjold raised this question yesterday with the authorities in Jordan, following his visit to Israel, the Jordanians told him that they would continue to refuse to implement Article VIII. The Israelis are awaiting Mr. Hammarskjold’s formal reply on this issue, as well as his reaction and comments. (A radio report from Jordan said today that Mr. Hammarskjold told reporters there he hoped that the Arab refugee problem would be solved within the year).
The private meetings between Mr. Hammarskjold and Premier Ben Gurion at Sdeh Boker included an overnight stay for Mr. Hammarskjold at the kibbutz and the sharing of a simple supper of herring and a few vegetables in the communal dining hall. An official joint communique merely noted that “a January 1 discussion and exchange of views on the general position in the Middle East and the international situation and its effects on the Middle East took place. At a further meeting January 2, there was a discussion on implementation of Article VIII of the Israel-Jordan Armistice and measures for assuring tranquility and safety on the Syrian-Israel border.”
As a step toward more tranquility on the Syrian-Israel border, scene early in December of violent Syrian artillery attack in the Huleh area, Mr. Hammarskjold was understood to have proposed physical marking of the border. Premier Ben Gurion was reported to have agreed
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