The demand of Acting United Nations Truce Chief Colonel Bennet de Ridder that both Israel and Syria withdraw a distance of one-half a kilometer from the demarcation lines of the demilitarized zone has been received with bitter comment in Israeli political circles here.
A government spokesman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the de Ridden demand “###” Israel of the strategic heights in the Tel Metulza area re-taken by Israel after some very hard fighting. While it would take from Israel the heights, possession of which will guarantee that Syrian troops will not re-enter Israeli territory the be Ridder call does not guarantee that the Syrians will not re-enter the region, the spokesman said.
It was pointed out that the Syrians have nothing to lose by acceding to the latter proposal, and would make a tactical and strategies gain from its acceptance. Acting Premier Moshe Sharett’s reply, rejecting the de Ridder proposal, it was stated, must be considered a call for the re-establishment of the authority of the armistice agreement and of the hired armistice commission, whose powers to deal with the situation are ample enough, if used.
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