Israel notified yesterday Secretary General U Thant that the Arab hijacking of civilian aircraft and Israel’s detention of two high ranking Algerian secret service officials had nothing in common. In a letter delivered by Ambassador Yosef Tekoah, Israel noted that the Arab terrorists “by force” seized civilian airliners and hold their passengers and crew as hostages for purposes of blackmail against their governments. The two Algerians, on the other hand, came to Israel of their own free will, arriving on a civilian airliner which was scheduled to land at Lod Airport, the letter stated. “The circumstances of their arrival in Israel were suspect,” the letter continued. “They are known to occupy official positions in Algeria of a special character. The government of Israel is certainly within its right in detaining them in Israel on security grounds for questioning, questioning which is still in progress.” The letter reaffirmed Israel’s “unequivocal opposition” to all forms of aggression against civilian air transport, aircraft, passengers and crew and to all forms of piracy in the air. It also advised Mr. Thant that he would be kept informed of all subsequent developments in the matter of the two Algerian detainees.
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