In a dramatic move to spur the defense of Israel, Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, together with his Army Chief of Staff and top military leaders, set an example today in establishing protection for border settlements threatened by Arab attack. At the same time, describing the program initiated by Mr. Ben Gurion, a military spokesman declared that Israel has come to regard the danger of war as highly concrete.
Mr. Ben Gurion, in his capacity as Defense Minister, was teamed up with an army private and a settler in erecting a barbed wire-fence around the settlement perimeter. Nearby, Maj. Gen. Moshe Dayan, Army Chief of Staff, was teamed with a private and a settler in digging trenches. In similar teams all of the top officers of Israel’s Army of Defense helped construct defensive trenches, rifle pits and machine-gun nests. Other ministers went to different areas to help spark the conversion of Israel’s border settlements into defensive outposts.
Recognition of the dangerous situation following the upsetting of the military power balance in favor of the Arab states has obliged Israel to strengthen itself from within through the utilization of all resources, the Army spokesman said. He said that in line with this policy Israel would try to convert every settlement into a defensive position, a concept that had proved valuable in the War of Liberation.
Israel’s financial resources were limited and most of what was available had been allotted for arms purchases, the spokesman continued. The conversion of settlements to defense positions could be done chiefly with labor, he said, but the settlers must have assistance from all citizens. The program initiated today will include 1,000 citizens from all parts of the country and from all walks of life, he emphasized.
The spokesman then noted that the Army not only encouraged this program but participated in it, and announced the work of Mr. Ben Gurion, Gen. Dayan and the other top officers. He said they were working in a village settled chiefly by North African immigrants. In accordance with this policy, he added, the Army has issued an order placing every soldier and officer side by side with civilians in the gigantic and important task.
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