Early action by the United Nations Security Council on the Arab-Israel crisis was anticipated following a request by the United States late today that the Security Council should meet “as soon as possible” to take “urgent” action in connection with the tense Middle East situation, the alleged failure of the signatories to the Israel-Arab armistice agreements to comply fully with those pacts, and “the build-up of armed forces” on the Israel-Arab borders which are endangering the peace of the area.
There was every indication that the Council will meet within the next three or four days, reacting to what officials here describe as “the language of urgency” in the American request for a Council meeting. The request for Council action, while it was made formally on behalf of the United States Government only, is known to represent the tripartite viewpoint of Washington, London and Paris.
The letter not only requests the meeting but, under the rubrick of the Palestine question, proposed the following item for the agenda: “Status of compliance given to the general armistice agreements and the resolutions of the Security Council adopted during the past year.” The resolutions to which the letter refers are those adopted on March 30, 1955, calling upon Israel and Egypt to accept pacification proposals made by Maj. Gen. E. L. M. Burns, chief of the UN Truce Supervision Organization for the Gaza area and a resolution adopted Sept. 8, 1955, in which both parties were again urged to head Gen. Burns’ tension-easing suggestions.
“The Government of the United States has become increasingly concerned,” declares the letter from the U.S. delegation, “over recent developments in the Palestine area which may well endanger the maintenance of international peace and security. Information relating to the build-up of armed forces on either side of the armistice demarcation lines leads the United States to believe that the parties may not be fully complying with the provisions of their armistice agreements which stipulate limitations upon armed forces in or near the demilitarized zones and the demarcation lines.
“The instances of firing across and otherwise violating the demarcation lines are recurring at a dangerous rate. It is a matter of deep concern to the Government of the United States,” the U.S. delegation emphasizes in its letter to the Security Council.
(Israel Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett summoned Soviet Ambassador Alexander N. Abramov to a conference in Jerusalem today. It is understood that Mr. Sharett raised various problems in connection with a possible Security Council meeting on the Middle East situation, and Israel’s position in the current crisis.)
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