Agreement between military representatives of Israel and Jordan on measures to suppress the border incidents which in recent weeks have created considerable tension between the two countries was reached today.
A meeting between Brigadier Mordecai Makleff, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Israel Army of Defense, and Lieut. Gen. Abdul Kadir Pasha el Jundi, deputy commander of the Arab Legion, held under United Nations auspices here today, resulted in agreement on concerted measures to prevent marauders from crossing the frontier. Direct communication between commanders on both sides was provided for to enable speedy action to prevent border crossings. It was also decided to take steps to exchange prisoners now held by both sides.
A meeting of a sub-committee of the Mixed Armistice Commission, also held today, agreed on the deletion of 107 complaints from the commission agenda. Another meeting tomorrow will, it is expected, eliminate another hundred pending complaints. The sub-committee also decided to re-issue orders against violation of airspace by planes of both countries.
A communique issued subsequently by the Israeli authorities made it clear that compensation claims for stolen or destroyed property would not be affected by elimination of the complaints from the M.A.C. agenda.
In a comment on the agreement reached yesterday on the Wadi Araba dispute, the Israeli authorities pointed out that only one-third of the disputed stretch of the Beersheba-Eilate road became Jordan territory and that two-thirds remained in Israeli hands. It is expected that the Israelis will start immediate construction of a detour road bypassing the Jordan-held territory.
Only a few hours after the Mixed Armistice Commission came to agreement over its major dispute and over the numerous border “incidents” of the last two weeks Jewish workers prevented a serious rail disaster planned by Arab infiltrees from the “triangle” area of central Palestine.
The workers noticed the fuse of a hidden landmine on the tracks of a rail bridge in the Benjamina area, near the Jordan-held “triangle.” They warned the engineer of an approaching train, then removed the mine. Tracks from the scene led to the Jordan territory. Israel has placed a new formal protest with the Mixed Armistice Commission.
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