Israel today protested in strongest terms against Egypt’s seizure of the 70 ton fishing trawler Doron and threatened to pursue the matter further by all means available unless Egypt immediately releases the vessel and its six-man crew.
The protest, addressed to this month’s Security Council president, Guillaume Georges Picot of France, was sent by Abba Eban, chairman of Israel’s permanent delegation here In words borrowed from the International Law Commission’s definition of piracy, Israel described Egypt’s seizure of the vessel as an “illegal act of violence, detention and depredation on the high seas.
According to Mr. Eban’s letter, the Doron was seized by Egyptian Coast Guard on September 25 in the Mediterranean Sea some 30 miles off the Sinai coast opposite E1 Arish. Since September 25 Israel has been unable to obtain any information about the men or the ship from the Egyptians.
It is understood here that the reason Israel has not protested to the Council before now is that it had attempted to employ other, quieter means for settling the issue with the Egyptians. Requesting that M. Georges-Picot circulate the protest to all members of the Security Council, Mr. Eban did not seek a meeting of the Council on this subject.
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