The Israel Government’s regrets that casualties were inadvertently inflicted on Egyptian military personnel when, due to a misunderstanding, an Israel unit entered the Israel-Egyptian Mixed Armistice Commission headquarters in the demilitarized zone of El Auja Tuesday night, were today conveyed to Maj. Gen. E.L.M. Burns, chief of staff of the United Nations Turce Supervisory Organization.
A letter from Arthur Lourie, deputy director general of the Israel Foreign Ministry explained the incident. It also reaffirmed a verbal pledge given Gen. Burns yesterday by Mr. Lourie that Israel was willing to withdraw its troops from the demilitarized zone as soon as the Egyptian outposts “located illegally” in the zone are removed, and as soon as the Egyptians provided assurances that they would not tamper further with Israel border markers.
(In Washington. State Department sources said today that the Department is reaffirming its “consistent role of supporting” Maj. Gen. E.L.M. Burns, United Nations truce chief in his efforts to bring about the recall of Israel troops from positions occupied in the demilitarized zone between Israel and Egyptian territory. It was explained that it is regular State Department policy to support the United Nations truce supervisory apparatus.)
In the occupation of the MAC building, from which the Israel unit later withdrew, an Egyptian officer was captured and two Egyptian soldiers were wounded. The officer and one of the wounded men were later released and one wounded man was placed in an Israel hospital.
A United Nations official today denied that a UN truce observer was arrested by Israel when its armed forces occupied the demilitarized zone of EI Auja. Maj. Francois Giacomaggi. United Nations chairman of the Israel-Egyptian Mixed Armistice Commission said the UN representative in that area is Capt. Gehard Swedlund, of Sweden, and that Capt. Swedlund had not been arrested. In statements issued yesterday in Cairo and Washington the Egyptian Government accused Israel of arresting a Swiss national who was described as a UN observer.
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