Israel-jordan Incidents Threaten Cease-fire, Hammarskjold Reports

Repeated shootings involving a total of at least nine dead and 20 wounded among Israelis, Jordanians and United Nations observers along the Israel- Jordan border now constitute “a greater threat to the policy of cease-fire than had so far arisen,” UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold today warned the Security Council.

In an unusual document, in which he reported to the Security Council on various events that have developed since the Council’s last resolution on June 4 authorizing him to continue his “good offices” in relation to the Arab-Israel dispute, Mr. Hammarskjold reported to the Council in detail so that the principal security body here may be aware of the situation.

The Secretary General attached to his brief, two-page report eleven pages summarizing reports direct from the field by the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization’s chief of staff, Maj. Gen. E.L.M. Burns. The Burns reports support Mr. Hammarsk-jold’s warning to the Council that the Jordan-Israel incidents have “involved clear elements of the cease-fire assurances.” Gen. Burns’ data shows:

Between June 26 and July 28 Israel filed 130 complaints with the Israel-Jordan Mixed Armistice Commission, while Jordan countered with 270 complaints. During the same period Israel casualties numbered nine dead and eight wounded; Jordan reported seven wounded; at least five UN military observers were wounded, four of them “seriously.”

The Burns reports backing Mr. Hammarskjold’s characterization of the incidents as “a greater threat” than has developed along the Israel borders since the cease-fire agreements were concluded last April indicate, according to observers here, that Jordan is by far the more culpable of the two parties.