The Jordanian attack on Israel at the Security Council fizzled out this week-end as the 11-member council decided to suspend consideration of Jordan’s complaint against Israel and Israel’s cross-complaint pending the receipt of reports from Col. Byron V. Leary, Acting Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization.
Jordan’s complaint concerned Israel’s afforestation work in no-man’s land south of Jerusalem as part of the project to plant a belt of trees around the Israeli capital. Jordan charged that the planting of such a forest would give Israel a “military advantage” in the area.
The Israeli complaint deals with Jordan’s refusal since the signature of the armistice pact in 1949 to participate in a bi-governmental committee to prepare certain civilian projects in the Jerusalem area and to grant Israelis access to the Mt. Scopus area and the Wailing Wall.
During Friday’s debate in the Council, the Soviet delegate, Arkady A. Sobolev, and the Iraqi representative supported Jordan fully. Most of the delegates, however, warned Jordan and Israel not to aggravate the situation and not to take any action pending Col. Leary’s reports.
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