Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin today conferred with Middle East experts of the British Foreign Office on the developments this week-end in the war between Israel and Egypt.
The press here reported today that Bevin is preparing a report for submission to the Cabinet tomorrow on an exchange of views between Britain and the United States regarding a message from the British Government to President Truman, in which Britain indicated that it may consider it necessary to aid Egypt and supply her with arms against Israel.
The Foreign Office has received a report of a visit of its Ambassador in Washington, Sir Oliver Franks, to Acting Secretary of State Robert A. Lovett, a spokesman announced today. He added that “no reply” was received from Secretary Lovett, but emphasized that none was warranted by the character of the visit. While refusing to reveal further details of the visit, the spokesman reiterated Britain’s concern over the situation along the Egyptian border.
The Evening Standard predicted that Bevin will probably tell the Cabinet tomorrow that the Jews deliberately violated the Egyptian border. He will also say that Trans Jordan’s defenses have been seriously weakened recently and that Jewish military leaders are urging that the war be carried into Transjordan, the Standard said.
The Daily Mirror forecasts that dramatic changes in the Anglo-American Palestine policy are likely to result from Israel’s alleged Invasion of Egypt. It asserts that this is the explanation for the Anglo-American talks in Washington, adding that the British Government is convinced that Israel will obey the U.N. truce order only if the United States joins Britain in taking decisive action against Israel–even to the extent of imposing sanctions.
A crescendo of reports suggesting that Britain may have to go to war against Israel appeared in a number of British newspapers over the week-end. The government, however, is still awaiting confirmation of reports of Israel’s invasion of Egypt before taking further steps. Although it is evident that the newspapers did not invent the story, the Foreign Office disclaims all responsibilities for it. It is true, however, that this sensational treatment was confined to the less responsible newspapers.
(The Associated Press reported from London that the American Government had warned Israel that the United States would withdraw diplomatic recognition if Jewish forces attack neighboring Arab states. The State Department in Washington refused to confirm or deny the report.)
Also, the Foreign Office has given no explanation thus far why it should take more than two weeks to give a satisfactory confirmation for a statement made by British representative Harold Beeley to a Security Council meeting, in Paris.
A source close to the Foreign Office indicated that the British Government had, in fact, already obtained certain adequate information about purported Israeli incursions into Egypt, but this information will not be published before the British delegate reveals it to the Security Council.
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