Egypt’s implementation of her claim to a state of belligerency by acts such as the blockade of Israel shipping is contrary to the United Nations Charter, Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold now holds, it was learned here today in the wake of the Ben Gurion-Hammarskjold talks last week. Meanwhile, Mr. Ben Gurion reported fully to his Cabinet today on his conversations with Mr. Hammarskjold. (See page 2 for earlier reports.)
It is understood that Mr. Hammarskjold has developed his new “theory” as an attempt to reconcile the fact of the illegality of the blockade with his earlier statement implicitly upholding Egypt’s claims to belligerency. According to the Secretary General’s theory–as it has been reported here–there is a difference between claiming the existence of a state of belligerence in the absence of peace relations and taking hostile actions, which violate the provisions of the UN Charter, under cover of belligerent claims.
The Cabinet decided today not to discuss for the time being a proposed Israel statement on the Eisenhower Doctrine. It is understood that Washington is dissatisfied with the wording of such a statement offered by Premier Ben Gurion and that the State Department sent through Ambassador Abba Eban its own wording for the Cabinet to accept or reject.
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