The Egyptian Government today sent its reply to the Israeli proposal that armistice talks be initiated between Israel and Egypt. The reply was tantamount to a refusal.
The Egyptian reply was brought to Tel Aviv by Brig. Gen. William Billey, chief U.N. Palestine observer. It specified that Egypt would be ready to sit down to armistice talks only after Israeli troops withdraw from the Negev and release the Egyptian troops trapped in the Faluja pocket.
The senior Christian consul in Jerusalem, Rene Neuville of France, today enounced that the Egyptians have rejected his request to permit the traditional Christmas pilgrimage from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Lt. Col. Moshe Dayan, Israeli military commander in the Jerusalem area, said that the Jews were willing to give the Christians free passage over the part of the road which is under control of the Israeli armed forces.
United Nations and Israeli sources today confirmed reports that the Transjordan cabinet has offered its resignation to King Abdullah as an expression of disagreement with his policies on Palestine. The resignation was, however, rejected by the King. The report that heir-apparent Prince Tallal of Transjordan has been put under house arrest by his father was also confirmed here today. It is known that he objected to Abdullah’s intention to reach an understanding with Israel regarding Palestine.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
