Israel Keeps Watch on Syrian Thrust into Jordan, Considers Intervention

Israel is expected to take swift military action if Syrian forces, spear-headed by Soviet-made T-54 and T-55 tanks, succeed in their invasion of northern Jordan and bring their guns within range of the whole chain of Israeli settlements from the Jordan and Beisan Valleys to the Golan Heights. This was the consensus of observers here today as Syrian armored forces and Palestinian guerrillas captured Irbid. Jordan’s second largest city, and the forces of King Hussein appeared outnumbered and outgunned. But there was a difference of opinion as to whether Israel would launch a pre-emptive strike or would wait until Syrian forces in Jordan actually fired on Israeli territory giving Israel cause to react. Israel’s Cabinet met in extraordinary session today for the third time this week to discuss the crisis in Jordan. According to informed sources, the government decided not to make any move at this time while continuing to keep a close watch on rapidly changing developments in that country. The sources said that all ministers receive regular reports on events in Jordan and are prepared to meet on short notice should the situation require it.

STATE DEPT. DECLINES COMMENT ON WHETHER APPROACH MADE TO ISRAEL

(A State Department official refused to say today whether or not the United States has approached Israel not to intervene militarily in the crisis in Jordan. Department spokesman Robert J. McCloskey replied, “I am not going to answer that” when the question was put to him by the JTA Washington correspondent. Mr. McCloskey said, in reply to another question, that the most important American diplomatic move so far in the Jordanian crisis was Secretary of State William P. Rogers’ request to the Soviet Union last Friday to intervene with Syria to end its invasion of Jordan. Mr. McCloskey said that the Soviet Government informed the U.S. last night that it has been in touch with the Syrian Government. “The real test now of whether that is a meaningful matter will turn on whether the forces from Syria are withdrawn from Jordan,” Mr. McCloskey said. Asked about the condition of 54 hijacked airline hostages still held by Arab terrorists in Jordan, the State Department official said, “regrettably,” nothing new has been heard. He also said there have been no new developments concerning Israel’s demand for a roll-back of Egyptian missiles installed in the Suez Canal cease-fire zone.)

Some Israeli observers said Israel fears that events in Jordan will pave the way for greater Soviet influence and even the menace of a Soviet military presence in Jordan with Soviet missiles confronting Israel on its eastern frontier as they do now in the Suez Canal zone. Such a development would not find Israel “sitting with its hand folded.” one commentator said today. Syria’s leftist Baathist regime is supported and supplied with military equipment by Moscow though not to the same extent as Egypt. Some observers said the Kremlin considers the quixotic Syrians too unreliable as clients to risk all out involvement as is the case with Egypt. The Israel Government’s attitude today was best described as “watchful waiting.” Israel, as a matter of principle, has avoided interference in Jordan’s Internal affairs. But this policy would be altered if the status quo in Jordan is destroyed. As far as Israel is concerned, the status quo would even apply to Palestinian guerrilla take-over in Amman, but not to the creation of a Syrian enclave in northern Jordan.

ISRAELIS HOPEFUL SYRIANS WILL PULL OUT UNDER FOREIGN PRESSURE

Israel Government officials were reportedly prepared to give the Jordanian crisis a chance to abate. There is a belief in some quarters that the Syrians will be forced to withdraw under foreign pressure, including that from other Arab states. (An Arab summit meeting was being held in Cairo today to deal with what the Egyptian Government termed the “deteriorating situation” in Jordan.) Israeli military observers said the Syrians were apparently reluctant to wage all-out war against King Hussein. They noted that Syria so far has not used its airforce, made up largely of Soviet MIGs, against Hussein’s airforce which went into action against the invaders, for the first time since the June, 1967 war with Israel. Military observers said the objective of the Syrian invasion seemed to be to lift the siege of Irbid, a guerrilla stronghold that was surrounded by Jordanian regulars. The Israelis said that Syrian troops wore the camouflage battle dress of Palestinian commandos and Syrian tanks were painted with commando insignia, indicating that the operation had been prepared well in advance. It also indicated to some that the Syrians were trying to avoid the impression that Syria itself was at war with Jordan.

Israeli military circles said that King Hussein could have repulsed the Syrian thrust had he concentrated his armored forces against it. They pointed out, however, that a significant part of Hussein’s army was pinned down watching some 12,000 Iraqi troops stationed around the town of Mafraq in northern Jordan. A move by the Iraqis in support of the guerrillas would menace Hussein’s flanks. Israelis who observed some of the fighting in Jordan from hilltops in the Golan Heights said Hussein’s forces appeared to be trying to encircle the Syrian forces. Large convoys of Jordanian Army vehicles were seen making their way down the Jordan Valley road in an attempt to flank the Syrians entrenched in the heights around Irbid. There were no signs of Syrian movements along the Golan Heights line with Israel. indicating that the Syrians had committed a large part of their forces to the fighting in Jordan. King Hussein appeared to be in control of his capital where he ordered a cease-fire yesterday. According to radio reports from Cairo, Amman is largely in ruins from a week of fierce fighting which reportedly cost 10,000 dead and thousands wounded. Israeli authorities have agreed to permit West Bank Arabs to organize medical convoys to aid the wounded in Jordan.