Sharet Denies Israel Invaded Akaba Area; Reveais Arabs Entered Jewish Territory

Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Sharet today reiterated the Israeli Government’s categorical denial that its forces had penetrated Transjordan territory in the Akaba area, but at the same time revealed that an Arab region unit had advanced five miles into Israel in the southern Negev area and had withdrawn after a minor skirmish.He spoke at a press conference.

Sharet stated that the Transjordanian invasion had occurred in the vicinity of a police station at Ghandall and that a few shots had been exchanged, but that the Arab patrol withdrew without “a single drop of blood having been shed.”He added that today there were no Transjordan troops on any Israeli soil in the southern desert, all of which was in the firm possession of Israel.

Sharet disclosed that no contact had been made with British troops in the area,Reporting that the British Government had addressed a query to Tel Aviv whether it had any intentions in relation to these troops, Sharet said that Tel Aviv’s reply pointed out that Israel had protested the landings of the British units at Akaba but had no aims in relation to Akaba or any other Transjordanian territory.

No American representations concerning Akaba had been made to the Israeli Government, he stated, adding that all the governments represented in Israel, including the Soviet Union, had been informed of the status of the Akaba situation. He also said that the question was discussed with the U.N. mediator’s headquarters in Rhodes and that Israel had requested that a U.N. observer be sent to the area to study the situation.

Turning to the Lebanese armistice negotiations, the Foreign Minister asserted that some progress had been made at yesterday’s session at Ras el Nakura, but that the end of the talks was not yet in sight. Asked whether the recent events in the Negev had effected the negotiations with Transjordan at Rhodes, he replied that he hoped that they had had “far reaching” effects.

Only Syria and Iraq of all the Arab countries which invaded “Palestine have not yet agreed to participate in armistice parleys. They will have to bear the responsibility for their refusals, he warned. As for the Egyptian armistice agreement, Sharet said that it was functioning successfully. Asked about the Jews detained in Egypt, he said that it was his understanding that they would be released soon.

He also stated that the U.N. mediator had intervened with the Iraqi and guerrilla forces in the “triangle” opposite Tel Aviv to quit their raids on Jewish settlements. He expressed the hope that the mediator’s action would be effective, but added that the Israeli Army’s warning to the Arabs of retribution for further raids still stands.