Foreign Minister Abba Eben said last night that “nine or ten times” Israel has made serious overtures for peace with the Arabs only to be rebuffed. He said one of the attempts involved certain Christian and Moslem leaders in East Jerusalem who were asked to make peace contacts, but these efforts too had failed. Mr. Eben was one of several cabinet ministers and military leaders addressing the nation on the eve of Independence Day. Defense Minister Moshe Dayan said in a radio interview that Israel would not tolerate the installation of Soviet anti-aircraft missiles in the Suez Canal zone. He said Israel needs a minimal of operational air space to support its ground forces on the canal front. He warned that Israel must expect a “critical summer” because Egypt is building up its forces under the Soviet umbrella.
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