Mounting Attacks in Recent Weeks by Syrian-based Terrorists Reported

A constant increase in the number of terrorist attacks on Israeli villages and military positions near the Syrian border has been observed over the past two weeks by Israeli military sources. They told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today that they believed the increase is a result of the effectiveness of Israeli measures against terrorism along the Jordanian and Lebanese borders. In the past three days alone, there have been four incidents involving guerrillas from Syrian soil, and, while earlier attacks were almost invariably carried out at night, two forays yesterday were made in daylight. At 9 a.m. the Ramat Shalom settlement on the Golan Heights was shelled with mortar fire, and at 3 p.m. an army position near Buqata was bombed with Katyusha rockets. There were no Israeli casualties.

Israeli military circles said yesterday they were concerned about the increase in terrorism–not out of fear but out of awareness that it might force Israel to take “more comprehensive measures,” which she would prefer not to do during the current generally quiet atmosphere in the Middle East. The Israeli circles noted that the energetic measures taken by the Army to suppress terrorism from Lebanese territory have been successful–there having been only two forays from that country into Israel in the past two weeks. The relative quietude along the Jordanian front is attributed by Israelis more to the suppressive measures of the Amman government than to direct Israeli action. As one Israeli officer put it, “The Fatah people and other terrorists are for the time being too busy fighting their own government.” As a result of these developments, Palestinian guerrillas are being attracted to Syria, where they are tolerated by a military government that has refused to talk peace with Israel.