High Government circles unofficially indicated today that they opposed the idea of a United Nations administration for the Gaza Strip, as has been proposed recently. They stressed that, while the idea of a UN regime in the area might seem attractive at first sight, it could actually lead to a border situation much worse than the condition prior to Israel’s Sinai action.
Egypt, they pointed out, would be able to use the 200-square mile area as a base for fedayeen activities against Israel shielded by the United Nations against Israel reaction. The limited forces the UN would be able to deploy in the Gaza area would not be sufficient to prevent the fedayeen operations and Israel would naturally be reluctant to hit back at territory held by the United Nations.
A United Nations regime for the Gaza area could not be a reasonable solution unless there were an Israel-Egyptian peace, it was pointed out here. To set up such a regime under present conditions would be to establish rule by Col. Nasser of Egypt under the protection of the United Nations.
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