Israel Marks Time on Suez Impasse; May Bring Issue to Security Council

A report on the developments concerning the passage of Israeli cargoes through the Suez Canal, following the talks which United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold held in Cairo on this subject, was presented today to the Security and Foreign Affairs Committee of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. The report was given by Dr. Walter Eytan, director general of the Foreign Ministry.

The Israel Government was still abstaining from making a definite decision on its next move in connection with Egypt’s halting the Danish ship Inge Toft and its Israel cargo at the entrance to the Suez Canal. The possibility was not excluded that Israel would bring the entire Suez Canal issue again before the United Nations Security Council. it was felt here that Mr. Hammarskjold’s recent efforts in Cairo would have been more productive had his mission carried the weight of a directive by the Security Council.

The situation with regard to the Inge Toft and the entire issue of permitting the passage of Israeli cargoes through the Suez Canal by the Egyptian authorities was still obscure. Official Israeli circles maintained a blackout on the government’s reaction to the reported conditions advanced to Mr. Hammarskjold by President Nasser of the United Arab Republic. The conditions have been reported to be: 1. Israel is not to send cargoes on its own or Israel-chartered ships, but on ordinary foreign vessels; 2. Israel is to maintain secrecy on the passage of cargoes by Egypt through the Suez Canal on such ships.

It was pointed out here that the last condition was rather “frivolous” because there is nothing to prevent the Egyptians themselves from provoking an incident by leaking out the news whenever this suits their purpose, even if Israel agreed to maintain secrecy.