An Israel military spokesman today denied Egyptian charges that Israel had violated the no man’s land area around Auja el Hafir by the establishment of a settlement in the zone.
The Israeli spokesman said that in accordance with the terms of the Israel-Egyptian armistice agreement there were Israeli soldiers in no man’s land, But, he stressed, neither the soldiers nor any other Israelis had established any settlement there.
The Cairo radio, heard here, reported Egyptian Minister for National Guidance Saleh Salem as stating that Israeli armed forces had occupied parts of the demilitarized area. The Minister added that “we know what to do” about the alleged Israeli move.
He also stated that Lt. Gen. Abdel Hakim Amer, commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Army, has been summoned back from an inspection trip to Cairo for consultations with the government, The broadcast said the Egyptian delegation at the United Nations and the Mixed Armistice Commission had been notified of the Israeli “aggression.”
(A cablegram from the American Embassy in Cairo, reporting Egyptian charges alleging Israel “aggression” at El Auja, was received today by the State Department in Washington. The Department is awaiting more facts on the situation. Developments are being closely followed by the American Embassy, it was indicated.)
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
