London Press Says Syrian Troops Enter Jordan to Aid ‘attrition War’

British press reports from the Middle East asserted today that Syrian troops had moved into Jordan, describing the purported development as evidence of greater cooperation between the Arab states in support of Egyptian President Nasser’s proclaimed goal of wearing Israel down by attrition.

The Sunday Observer asserted that Israel privately told the Big Four powers that unless the Middle East cease-fire was reestablished and direct Arab-Israel negotiations were resumed promptly through United Nations peace emissary Gunnar Jarring, Israel would take more drastic military action to end the “war of attrition.” The Observer’s correspondent, Robert Stephens, said he had learned from authoritative Israeli sources that Israel had also transmitted a specific warning to Jordan. He wrote this purported warning stemmed not only from continuation of guerilla operations from Jordanians bases but also from recent Egyptian efforts to encourage Syria, Iraq and Jordan to strengthen the Egyptian-sponsored “Eastern Command” of Syria, Iraq and Jordan. He added, however, that Israel believes there is no front where the Arab armies have the advantage and that it can take speedy action to frustrate the attrition goal without sparking a full-scale war.

John Bulloch of the Telegraph, reporting from Beirut, asserted that the Syrians moved into Jordan with tanks, anti-aircraft guns and heavy artillery. He asserted that the Syrians moved in without radio silence and that Israeli monitors picked up the Syrian field reports and sent planes against the Syrian column, killing one officer, wounding 17 soldiers and crippling at least 12 tanks and military trucks.

David Hirst of the Guardian reported that Arabs have hailed Syria’s first air attack last Thursday at Israeli positions at Mount Hermon, calling the Syrian attack evidence of growing coordination between the ruling Baathist party and Egypt. Paul Martin of the Times wrote that “the slow but encouraging response” to Nasser’s call for greater military cooperation indicated that the Arabs were ready to develop a new military strategy against Israel. Martin also asserted that Egypt’s new belligerency had made the Syrians “look tame” and that it was Egyptian aerial penetration into Sinai last month which led the Syrians to make an “ostentatious buildup” on the cease-fire line with Israel “to save face.” He reported that even the Lebanese had announced full support for a new Arab summit meeting to coordinate strategy against Israel.

However, the Times correspondent reported, the 15,000 Iraqi troops stationed at the north end of the Jordan Valley leave much to be desired in the way of inter-Arab military coordination and “the Syrians have yet to prove that their weapons include more than mere slogans.” He added that while the small Saudi Arabian contingent has “proved more cooperative, it has yet to be used effectively” in the new Nasser-inspired military design.