Israel Formally Charges Jordan with Aiding Terrorist Intruders

Israel for the first time has formally charged the Jordanian Government with aiding and sheltering armed bands which enter Israel-held territory for purposes of sabotage and terror in violation of the cease fire agreements. Ambassador Yosef Tekoah, permanent representative of Israel to the United Nations, made the charge in a letter to United Nations Secretary General U Thant, dated Feb. 2,1968. The letter referred specifically to an incident which took place during the night of Jan. 29-30.

“The sequence of events was as follows,” Ambassador Tekoah wrote. “On 29 January 1968 at approximately 2130 (9:30 p.m.), local time, an Israeli patrol was attacked on the west bank of the Jordan River near the settlement of Ashdot Yaakov by a Jordanian sabotage unit. Fire was returned. At approximately 2345 hours (11:45 p.m.) local time, Jordanian army units on the east bank of the river opened fire at Israeli forces in the west bank, in order to give cover to the retreating sabotage unit. Israeli forces returned fire. Israeli fire was directed at the sources of Jordanian fire. The exchange continued until approximately 0001 hours (1:00 a.m.) local time. Sabotage material and other equipment was found at the site of the encounter between the Israeli patrol and the Jordanian unit.”

“I wish to draw your attention, Excellency, to the fact that the penetration of the Jordanian sabotage unit into Israeli territory was executed with the connivance and support of the Jordanian armed forces,” Ambassador Tekoah wrote. He requested that his letter be circulated as an official document of the Security Council and the General Assembly.