The Israel Cabinet may be called on soon to decide whether to make another test of the “practical arrangements” imposed by President Nasser of the United Arab Republic for transit of cargoes to and from Israel through the Suez Canal, it was learned today.
The previous test ended yesterday when the Greek freighter Astypalea sailed from Port Said after having unloaded its cargo of 400 tons of cement taken on at Haifa. The ship had been held at Port Said since December.
The statement by United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold last Friday condemning the UAR action in confiscating the cargo and denying the ship transit was interpreted here today as an implicit suggestion that Israel should make another try to send a cargo through the international waterway, complying in this with the terms laid down by Nasser in an agreement with Mr. Hammarskjold. The Secretary-General was believed ready to give Nasser another chance to live up to his promise to permit goods from Israel through the canal provided that they were shipped f. o. b. and were the property of the purchaser when they passed through the canal.
(In Stockholm, the Swedish Transport Workers Union announced today it will blockade the loading and unloading of all vessels belonging to the United Arab Republic in reprisal for the Arab blacklisting of Scandinavian ships doing business with Israel. The blockade includes transports to and from UAR vessels, such as oil tankers. A similar blockade was previously decided on by the Finnish Seamen’s Union.)
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
