Yacov Dori, Israeli Army Chief of Staff, today lodged a formal protest with Brig. Gen. William Riley, U.N. chief of staff in Palestine, against an Egyptian attempt last week to run contraband arms and supplies through the Israeli lines to the Arab troops trapped at Faluja. The unsuccessful at tempt to bring through weapons parts in a U.N. convoy which was supposed to be carrying only non-military supplies occurred on December 1. The contraband was seized by the Israelis.
Dori’s protest calls the Egyptian action a “flagrant breach of faith,” and “finds it most difficult to understand how items of cargo not listed on the manifest escaped the notice of United Nations observers in Gaza.” The letter also requests that formal action be taken by Gen. Riley as a consequence of the truce violation. Israeli authorities today denied knowledge of reported efforts by the U.N. to arrange a second convoy from Gaza to Faluja.
It was learned here that at a recent meeting with Gen. Riley, Yigal Yadin, Israeli Army Chief of Operations, and Israeli Foreign Office aide Reuven Shilcah warned the U.N. officer that if the Egyptians do not agree to early armistice negotiations, Israel will take action against the Faluja pocket. Riley, who left for Cairo to meet with acting mediator Dr. Ralph Bunche, will convey the Israeli position to the Egyptian.
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