Israel views the latest Syrian attack resulting in the loss of at least three lives on Lake Tiberias as a “very grave incident” and considers Syria’s various attacks in the last few days as “flagrant acts of aggression which must inevitably exacerbate the tense situation in the Middle East.” These statements were made today on a latter to the United Nations Security Council, from Mordeca R. Kidron, Israel’s deputy permanent representative here.
Requesting that the Security Council president circulate the letter to all members of the Council–but not asking for a meeting of the body–Mr. Kidron stressed in his letter the fact that the UN Truce Supervision Organization had informed Damascus that an Israel police rescue launch was being sent out on Lake Tiberias to tow away a stranded vessel previously disabled by Syrian gunfire. In spite of the Syrian authorities knowledge that the operation was of a purely rescue nature Syrian gunposts opened fire again, resulting in the loss of lives the second incident detailed in the letter refers to the shooting down of an Israeli plane “flying low inside Israel territory.”
Israel “certainly has a strong case” against Syria for that country’s latest aggressions, but the government so far has not instructed the delegation here to call for Security Council action, Abba Eban, chairman of the Israel delegation, declared today following a meeting with Dag Hammarskjold, UN Secretary General.
Mr. Eban refused to discuss the details of his conversation with the Secretary General, saying only that they had reviewed the situation in the Middle East. However, in response to various questions, he said: “As Israel’s Prime Minister declared in the Knesset yesterday, the danger of war in our area is mounting. The greatest single cause is the disparity in arms between Israel and the Arab states. The Arab countries are definitely superior in arms now. We can use every inch of assistance the United Nations can offer.”
Questioned about whether Israel intends to resume work on the Bnot Yaacov canal, Mr. Eban said that Israel was waiting for a renewal by the U.S. envoy, Ambassador Eric Johnston, of efforts to obtain a definitive reply from the Arab states about Jordan River Valley water development plans. “If those plans are rejected, “he said, Israel will certainly not consent to let the Jordan waters run wastefully into a ditch.”
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