A request by the International Red Cross that no armed soldiers be stationed near the Allenby Bridge over the Jordan River during crossovers of Arabs and similar activities under Red Cross supervision will be accepted by Israel if Jordan agrees, Defense Minister Moshe Dayan said today.
The Red Cross made the request after a violent attack by Jordanian troops at the site last Thursday which cost the lives of three Israeli soldiers and injured two Red Cross officials. Two Israeli soldiers were killed instantly and a third — one of two wounded in the shootings — died later. Gen. Dayan visited the wounded Red Cross officials today at the hospital.
There was normal traffic at the bridge today while troops watched from some distance from the bridge. However, it was not known whether the Red Cross would agree to resumption tomorrow of its supervision of families crossing over into the West Bank section under Israel’s family reunion program.
(At the United Nations, Israel and Jordan accused each other of having started the shooting. Jordan sent a letter to Secretary General U Thant, in reply to an earlier complaint from Israel Ambassador Josef Tekoah, who accused Jordan of a “wanton attack.” Jordan asserted that Israel started the shooting “to discourage expelled Arabs from returning to their homes.”)
Observers said that the initial Jordanian fire had been armed at soldiers stationed at the Jordanian side of the bridge to arrange for the family reunion traffic, in accordance with an established agreement with Jordan. The Red Cross officials were wounded while trying to help extricate the wounded Israeli soldiers.
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