Israeli traffic quit using about one -third of a kilometer of the Beersheba-Eilath road yesterday in accordance with a decision of the Israel-Jordan Mixed Armistice Commission two weeks ago.
The section of road was disputed by the two countries and resulted in several clashes between armored units of Israel and Jordan when the Arabs decided to shortcut U.N. sponsored negotiations and erect roadblocks to enforce a unilateral decision to halt Israeli use of the road. For a while the situation disrupted the entire armistice commission procedure and threatened a complete breakdown in relations between the countries.
For the time being the Jews will by-pass the Jordan portion of the road by cutting into the nearby desert wastes. However, a regular road must be built shortly to carry traffic during the rainy season when the desert area is not suitable for traffic.
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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.
