Israel Watching Pro-soviet Developments in Syria, Sees Future Threat

Israel is closely following developments in neighboring Syria where Communist elements have taken over key security posts, including that of Chief of Staff of the Syrian Army, and a pro-Soviet officers’ clique moved towards complete domination of the regime, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said today.

The Israel spokesman said that there was no immediate threat in the latest developments but the situation could evolve dangerously for Israel some time in the not too distant future. Israel therefore, he added, could be expected to follow the situation closely.

It was learned today that Israel officials were giving consideration to the question of a complaint to the United Nations against the Soviet Union and Syria over Syrian acts and threats of aggression and Soviet threats against the peace and security of the Jewish State.

Israelis were not so much concerned over the prominence the Soviet propaganda machine gave to Syrian threats against Israel as they were about the warnings the Soviet propagandists voiced that Israel was endangering its existence as an independent state. Such threats by one United Nations member against another, Israelis asserted, were not compatible with the United Nations Charter and represented a threat to the peace.

Thus far, no decision had been taken here as to whether Israel should appeal to the United Nations on this score. It was assumed here that much depended on the attitude of the United States on this question. The United States, spearheading a move to secure United Nations denunciation of Soviet aggression in Hungary, might prefer to have all interest concentrated on this one issue.

On the other hand, it was noted here, the West might rather prefer to reveal the entire scope and full consequences throughout the world of Soviet penetration tactics, exposing to the Asians, a Soviet menace that might strike nearer home to them than Hungary.