Israeli and Transjordan negotiators here today reached an agreement on the delineation of armistice lines in the Jerusalem area, at the same tine, “considerable progress” was reported to have taken place during two long sessions today.
Problems concerning Jerusalem’s daily life such as access to the Holy Places and the roads to the Mt. Scopus area and to Bethlehem were shelved for future deliberation and will probably be discussed by the local area commanders. Meanwhile, Col. Moshe Dayan, Israel’s chief delegate, as well as Transjordan envoys, returned to their respective capitals today to consult with their governments.
It is expected that tomorrow’s negotiating session will be devoted chiefly to the question of reducing the size of both the Israeli and Arab Legion forces on the armistice lines. Earlier, the Israelis in an attempt to speed up the talks here–proposed that the armistice question be treated as a whole, while specific points of fiction be omitted for future resolution.
Acting United Nations Palestine mediator Dr. Ralph J. Bunche today received from his observers in the Negev area reports on the situation there. According to these reports, 200 Israeli soldiers are now stationed at Um Reshresh, on the Gulf of Aqaba coast. The reports of the observers said that no clashes occurred between Israeli and Arab Legion units and that no Transjordan elements are now to be found west of the Transjordan frontier in that area, Jewish forces are proceeding north wards to Wadi Araba and are not being hindered by the Arab Legion, the U.N. officials added.
At the same time, Dr. Bunche received a complaint that the Jews have occupied Ein Geddi, on the east coast of the Dead Sea, This report is now being investigated, a spokesman for the mediator revealed.
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.
