Israel’s Army Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Haim Laskov, conferred here today with Lt. Gen. E. L. M. Burns, commander-in-chief of the United Nations Emergency Force, whose troops are spread out along the Israel-Egyptian border in the Sinai and Gaza areas and at Sharm el Sheikh, overlooking the entrance to the Gulf of Akaba.
The official communique issued after their lunche on and subsequent 50-minute conference at a seaside hotel said only that they had discussed “questions of mutual concern.” Each was accompanied by several aides.
The laconic communique was widely interpreted to mean that the two military men had discussed recent border incidents, including the two brushes between Egyptian. MIGs and Israeli Mystere fighters in the area over the Negev. They are also believed to have considered the renewed infiltration by Arabs from Egyptian-controlled territory into Israel.
As late as last Friday, an Israeli patrol found a three-man gang of saboteurs planting mines inside Israel. There has also been a heavy non-military infiltration from the Gaza Strip which is believed to be the result of worsened conditions resulting from the drought. When newsmen questioned Gen. Burns afterwards to explain the infiltration from the Gaza area, he replied: “I wish I knew.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
