Ben Gurion Summons Cabinet; Warns Israel Will Oust Arab Invaders if U.N. Fails to Do So

The Israeli Cabinet was summoned over the week-end by David Ben Gurion to consider the next; steps resulting from the Latrun crisis. U.N. observers, meanwhile, reported that both the Jews and Arabs are at action stations and the situation is critical.

Addressing a meeting of the Mapai Council last night, which was attended by delegates from all over the world, Ben Gurion declared: "If the United Nations is unable to impose a decision to oust the foreign invading armies, not only from Israel territory but from all of Palestine, we will have to do so ourselves, since their presence threatens our existence and violates international law.

"Israel did not merge from a U.N. decision," Ben Gurion stated, "but was created through its own efforts and perseverance. The country’s fate is now dependent on the war issue and we must be prepared for a renewal of hostilities. The frontiers of Israel have not yet been finally set and, although we will respect an international agreement on cur border a, we must strike a victorious blow to substantiate our claims.

"Even when our frontiers, authority, sovereignty and international status will be safely established, we will still be remote from the aims assigned ourselves for the establishment of our state. Generations have not in vain suffered and struggled to see only 800,000 Jews in this country. It is the duty of the present generation to redeem the Jaws in the Arab and European countries," he declared.

ISRAEL CANNOT CONTINUE IN STATE OF NEITHER WAR NOR PEACE, SHERTOK SAYS

Outlining Israel’s foreign policy at the same meeting, Foreign Minister Moshe Shertok emphasized that the Jewish state’s policy will be based "on the United Nations, but will he completely independent from the Eastern and Western blocs and in consideration of our national interests." Asserting that "it is impossible for Israel to continue in a state of neither war nor peace," Shertok said "we must request the U.N. to liquidate the truce through the expulsion of the invaders or the truce will have to be ended through war."

The Israeli Foreign Minister stressed, however, that "in case hostilities were renewed, the Israeli Government will not cease its efforts to attain peace by pursuing its recently-made proposals. Regarding our frontiers, the Provisional Government is mindful of the U.N. demarcation lines, but the U.N.’s inability to prevent changes resulting from war is clear corroboration that the question of frontiers requires revision," Shertok said.

"Israel never intended to dispossess any Arabs and was prepared to agree to the presence of a large Arab minority within its boundaries," he continued, adding: "But it has never happened throughout history that, after such a drastic change, the situation should revert to its former aspect. The Arab refugee question," he concluded, "will be dealt with at the peace negotiations."

(In an editorial today, the N.Y. Herald-Tribune said: "Whether or not the Security Council accedes to the Israeli request for a time limit on the truce, it should certainly get peace negotiations started and discover whether there is any real chance for a settlement. In the four weeks since the cease-fire order Count Bernadotte’s efforts have been directed toward enforcement of the truce, and oven in this he has not been notably successful. If the period of the truce is not used to work for a permanent settlement nothing will have been gained in the end by the cease-fire.")

The existence of the so-called "Burma" water pipeline to Jerusalem was made known here over the week-end. Put into use several weeks ago, the new line draws water from the Judean plain. Its capacity, however, is limited and improvements are now under way to enlarge its facilities.