Israeli-transjordan Parley at Rhodes Seeks Agreement on Demilitarization of Old City

Efforts to arrive at an agreement for the demilitarization of the Old City of Jerusalem and free access to the Holy Places were made here today at the second successive informal joint meeting between the Israeli and Transjordan delegates. Although both delegations emphasized the friendly atmosphere in which the talks are being conducted, no one is trying to disguise the fact that the present points under discussion are minor compared to those which are expected to arise later.

Among those major controversial points are the fate of the Negev, discussion of which will test the part that Britain intends to play in the negotiations. Also to be tested is the question of King Abdullah’s independence, since the Negev is exclusively a matter of British interest. Israel has stressed repeatedly that the southern desert is vital to that country.

The Transjordan demand for an open road between the Damascus Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem and Bethlehem would virtually partition the Jewish-held districts of Jerusalem and sever from them those Arab quarters which had been captured by the Israelis, U.N. military experts admitted today.

The U.N. military experts also conceded that the conversion of the Talpioth, Ramat Rachel and Mekor Haim districts south of Jerusalem, into a no-man’s land, as demanded by the Transjordanians, would give the Arabs a military advantage in that area. At the same time, it was pointed out, to maintain an open road to Mount Scopus–as demanded by the Jews–would mean the demilitarization of the Sheikh Jarrach quarter and the severance of Arab communications between Jerusalem and Ramallah and Jerusalem and the so-called “triangle,” Jenin-Tulkarn-Nablus.