A Syrian complaint to the United Nations that Israel had engaged in a series of aggressive acts against Syria in the Lake Tiberias area was challenged today in an Israeli communication to the UN which called the charges false and fabricated.
In turn, Ambassador Michael Comay, the Israeli permanent representative, cited a lengthy series of Syrian attacks on Israeli targets in the area. The denial and the counter-charges were contained in a letter to Secretary-General U Thant which Israel asked be circulated to members of the Security Council.
Mr. Comay said that a statement in the Syrian complaint, dated January 30, that an armed Israel patrol crossed the armistice line into Syria, was “a fabrication. ” A similar description was applied to a Syrian charge that Israeli “gunboats” approached the eastern shores of Lake Tiberias to carry out “provocative actions against Syrian citizens. ” Noting that “there are no Israeli gunboats” on the lake, Mr. Comay said that there were Israeli patrol boats in routine patrols on the lake “which is within Israel territory” to protect Israeli fishing and to prevent illegal intrusions from Syria.
Ambassador Comay termed both “false” and “ridiculous a Syrian charge that an Israel gunboat kidnaped a Syrian citizen and stole a Syrian gunboat from River Al-Masadiah in Syrian territory. He pointed out it was physically impossible for an Israel boat to leave the lake, cross land and enter the river and then repeat the trip in reverse.
He added that the fact was that a Syrian fisherman who was illegally fishing on the lake was arrested by Israel police and that UN authorities had been notified and had questioned the fisherman. Mr. Comay stressed that the circulation of the Syrian letter “was the first indication the Israel authorities have ever had of the allegations” in the letter.
Mr. Comay agreed there was a serious situation and that it was due “entirely to the Syrian violations of the General Armistice Agreement. ” He then cited instances of Syrian aggression reported to the Mixed Armistice Commission. These included firing on Israeli fishing boats on the lake from Syrian gun positions on January 17, February 1, February 5 and March 14.
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