Three possible courses of action were being discussed today in Israeli circles in connection with the United Arab Republic’s seizure of Israel cargoes passing through the Suez canal. The possibilities are: 1. Calling for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council; 2. Calling for a special session of the UN General Assembly; 3. Taking the case to the International Court of Justice.
Prior to deciding its course, the Israel Government is at present awaiting information from several directions. Israel would like to have clarification of the Soviet attitude on the Suez Canal issue. It is awaiting reactions to diplomatic pressures on the Cairo Government from Western Powers and from other maritime nations. And Israel also is waiting to see what the reply of the Cairo Government would be to the intervention by the United Nations Secretariat.
Observers here assume that Cairo will not give a clear-cut negative answer, but will, instead, try to find an evasive formula. Failure to receive satisfactory results should also convince Western Powers–which are at this time not enthusiastic about convening the Security Council on this issue–that diplomatic action is not sufficient.
Israeli circles feel that the nature of Cairo’s latest anti-Israel action in the Suez is potentially so dangerous to maritime nations including the Afro-Asian countries, that, if a special session of the General Assembly were held, Israel would have sufficiently wide support in the Assembly.
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