Despite Syrian troop concentrations in the Huleh area, Israel today resumed the work of draining the swamps in the demilitarized zone of that area and notified the United Nations observers that the Israelis will not remain idle if the Syrians fire on workers engaged in the land reclamation project. The situation was reported tense.
Syrians and Israelis exchanged fire yesterday in the Mishmar Hayarden area when Jewish tractors were brought in, in preparation for resuming the work of reclamation. As the tractors reached a bridge along the western bank of the Jordan River, the Syrians opened fire from their positions along the eastern bank. The Israelis returned the fire. No casualties were reported. U.N. observers requested that the tractors halt their progress, but they proceeded unimpeded until evening. Syria is objecting strongly to the project and has notified the mixed armistice commission to that effect.
High military officers on the Israeli and Syrian General Staffs were meeting today at the Syrian frontier. Depending on the outcome of their meeting is the question of whether Israel will be able to peacefully develop its $16,000,000 project of draining the Huleh swamps, which is expected to be completed within three pars, adding 15,000 acres of fertile soil to Israel’s farm lands.
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