Israeli officials today indicated that they consider the stand taken yesterday by United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold insisting on Egypt’s right to Gaza under the terms of the armistice pact will in all likelihood block progress in the talks between Israeli Ambassador Abba Eban and Secretary of State Dulles in Washington, as well as progress in the realization of proposals offered yesterday to the General Assembly by Lester Pearson, Canadian Minister for External Affairs.
It was reported here that Israel now appears willing to separate the issues of Gaza Strip and Gulf of Akaba and move toward an agreement on withdrawal from the Akaba area while continuing negotiations on the Gaza Strip withdrawal. Israel circles voiced guarded optimism about the chances of such separation, despite the warning by Mr. Hammarskjold in his report to the General Assembly yesterday of opposition to handling the issues separately.
Observers here pointed out that reports from the United States indicated that the State Department and Mr. Hammarskjold apparently were not in harmony in this matter, but it was considered questionable whether the Eisenhower Administration would make the effort to persuade Mr. Hammarskjold to change his attitude toward Israel.
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