The Israel Government today asked the United Nations to take steps to insure observance by Jordan of the cease-fire pledge given UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold, in order to avoid Israeli retaliation such as the Israeli raid last night on a Jordan police station in which 50 Jordanian soldiers were reported killed. Israeli casualties in the raid were given as eight dead and nine wounded.
The Israel request was transmitted to the United Nations by Foreign Minister Golda Meir who summoned Gen. E.L.M. Burns, UN truce chief, to present to him the views of the Israel Government on the raid, which took place following the killing of 36 Israelis in recent Jordan attacks, including the attack on members of the archaeological convention now taking place in Jerusalem. Six Israelis were killed by Jordanians in the last 48 hours alone.
The Israel Foreign Minister pointed out to the UN truce chief that Israel’s attack last night was “the inevitable consequence of a chain of murderous aggression” by Jordan. Mrs. Meir told Gen. Burns that Israel was determined to secure and maintain the peace of its borders. Israel, she went on, had never initiated attacks and now reiterates the pledges it gave UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold to scrupulously abide by the cease-fire on the basis of reciprocity.
Israel asks the UN Secretary General and the Chief of Staff to take steps to insure like observance on Jordan’s part and to institute such policies as will secure its maintenance, Mrs. Meir stressed. The reestablishment of the cease-fire was essential for the restoration of peaceful conditions in the area and Israel will always abide by it, she concluded.
ISRAEL ARMY REPORTS DETAILS OF ATTACK ON JORDAN POLICE STATION
The details of the Israeli attack on the Jordan police post were given early this morning in a communique issued by the Israeli Army. It said: “Several Jordan Army posts, including a company stronghold in the Husan area, were attacked and taken tonight by an Israeli Army unit. The Husan police station also was taken and blown up Two enemy armored cars were set afire, and the enemy suffered approximately fifty killed After accomplishing the task, our forces returned to their bases. Booty, including cars, heavy mortars, machine guns and rifles were brought back.
“This attack was carried out after Jordan soldiers killed four Israeli citizens in a murderous attack at Ramat Rachel, killed a woman in the vicinity of Moshav Aminadav and kidnapped and murdered a tractor driver of the kibbutz (settlement) Maoz Haim in the past three days,” the communique concluded.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
