Israeli authorities ordered suspension today of the program for reunion of West Bank Arab families because of the Jordan Government’s refusal to return to Israel the body of the Israeli pilot whose plane was shot down over Jordan two weeks ago. Efforts to secure the return of the body, made through the International Red Cross, have been unavailing.
Israelis saw the pilot parachuting to earth when his Mirage fighter was hit, and suspect that he was tortured and murdered by Jordanian civilians. It was believed that Jordan has refused to return the body because it would reveal mutilation.
The family reunion scheme, which resumed earlier this week, enabled Arab families residing on the West Bank to obtain permits for the return to Israel-occupied territory of family members who had crossed over to Jordan during the Six-Day War.
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