The Security Council will meet here tomorrow to resume debate on Israel’s complaint against Syria, charging the Damascus Government with responsibility for the latest series of terrorist incursion into Israel, costing four lives and at least six other casualties, and inciting to violence against Israel in violation both of the United Nations Charter and the 1949 armistice agreement between Israel and Syria.
Meanwhile, there were reports here that, through an intermediary and unofficially, Israel has made a peace offer to Syria. Prime Minister Levi Eshkol’s address in his Parliament this week, on the Syrian issue, was interpreted in that manner.
Israel’s Ambassador Michael S. Comay, who was asked a question about the report on a television broadcast in New York last night, did not deny the existence of a “peace offer.” He reiterated Israel’s readiness at all times to live at peace with all its Arab neighbors. Syria’s U.N. Ambassador, George J. Tomeh, was on the same TV program, although he did not appear on camera simultaneously with Mr. Comay. He was asked the same question and retorted evasively that Israel must make peace with the Arab refugees to end the conflicts in the region.
As Lord Caradon, of Britain, this month’s president of the Council, summoned the 15-member body to meet again on Israel’s grievance tomorrow afternoon, the members of the Council continued to study the report on the recent terrorist incursions into Israel, filed yesterday by Lt. Gen. Odd Bull, chief of staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization.
Israel filed a fresh letter to the Council yesterday, bolstering its case against Syria by pointing to one more mine incident wounding an Israeli soldier, near the Syrian border, and continued official Syrian’s threats against Israel’s security. It was understood that, at the Council meeting tomorrow, Mr. Comay would list a total of nine El Fatah terrorist mining incidents perpetrated on Israeli soil in the last nine months.
It was hoped here today that, by tomorrow, the Council may have two further reports from Gen. Bull, resulting from sessions scheduled to be held today by, respectively, the Syrian-Israeli Mixed Armistice Commission and the Jordan-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission. Israel had complained to both of these commissions against the October 7-10 terrorism, one of which took place near the Jordanian border, the other near Syria.
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.
