The Israel Cabinet will meet tomorrow to decide on the proposals to the Gaza-Akaba issue made by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles in an effort to meet Israel’s request for freedom of navigation through the Gulf of Akaba.
No official comment on the American proposals was forthcoming today in view of the expected stand by the Cabinet tomorrow. However, the feeling was growing here today that “support” of the freedom of navigation under the terms offered by Mr. Dulles is insufficient and unsatisfactory.
The fact that Israel Ambassador Abba Eban in Washington requested further clarification of the offer was interpreted here as indicating that Israel may still see Secretary Dulles’ suggestions as at least a basis for initiating discussions and working out proposals for effective safeguards of freedom of navigation.
Doubt was expressed here today that Israel would agree to the order of priorities implicit in Secretary Dulles’ proposals, namely that Israel should first withdraw its troops from the Gaza and Akaba areas and only then the U.S. will take measures to assure free passage of Israeli ships through the Gulf of Akaba. The Israelis feel that Egypt’s repeated default of its promises justify Israel’s insistence that the American guarantees should precede Israeli troop withdrawals.
A report from Ambassador Eban on Secretary Dulles’ proposals was under study today by Prime Minister David Ben Gurion. Informed sources here indicated that the proposals left many questions unanswered, particularly what the Eisenhower Administration would do if Egypt sought to interfere again with Israeli passage in the Akaba Gulf and the Tiran Strait. These sources said that the Israel Government does not exclude the possibility that, in such an event, the United States would again refuse any direct action and insist it was a matter for the United Nations to handle.
Another question asked here was the type of ships the United States would use to “test” non-interference: cargo ships or warships? Another unresolved problem is the fact that the Dulles’ proposals made no reference to the problem of Egyptian dential to Israel of Suez Canal transit. It was assumed Israel was as concerned with Suez Canal as Akaba passage rights.
Meanwhile, a Foreign Office spokesman declared today that it is clear that Egypt has no intention of ending hostilities against Israel. He revealed that tracks from the scene of a landmine ambush–in which five Israeli soldiers were wounded yesterday–had been traced to United Nations Emergency Force lines on the Gaza-Sinai border. It is also clear that the presence of UNEF is no deterrent to Egyptian incursions into Israel, the spokesman added.
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