Grave concern was expressed today over the raid into Sinai yesterday by Egyptian commandos who ambushed and killed two Israeli soldiers and apparently kidnapped a third Defense Minister Moshe Dayan summoned Lt. Gen. Odd Bull, chief of the United Nations ceasefire observers, to his office today to emphasize the serious view that Israel takes of the incident. Gen. Bull, who is going to Cairo tomorrow, promised Gen. Dayan that he will investigate the matter and report back to him when he returns here on Thursday.
The bodies of the two soldiers were discovered on a road east of the Suez Canal together with indications that a third soldier was dragged toward Egyptian territory. According to a military spokesman, the soldiers’ jeep struck a mine and was fired on from ambush by the Egyptians. The incident took place opposite Ismailiya. Another mine was found nearby and dismantled. The missing soldier was identified as Yaacob Royana of Kibbutz Eilaon. The Egyptian commandos are believed to have crossed the canal and made their getaway by boat.
A military spokesman announced today that a 10-minute exchange of fire took place between Israeli and Jordanian forces south of the Beisan Valley last night. He said that the Jordanians had started the shooting and drew Israeli return fire.
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