Premier Yussef Zayen of Syria extended his threats of war against Israel yesterday to include Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia, it was reported here today from Damascus.
The Syrian leader told a May Day Labor rally in Damascus that while the “prime objective of our popular” war of liberation is Palestine, the war must pass through Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia to destroy reactionary rulers there.” The speech was broadcast by the Syrian Government radio.
Referring to reports that Israel had been assured protection by the United States through the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, Premier Zayen declared also that the Sixth Fleet “cannot frighten us nor can it stop the war of liberation.” He said that the United States had its Seventh Fleet in the Far East “but it has not stopped the liberation struggle of the Vietnamese people. Israel likes to talk about her military superiority but at use same time hides behind the protection of the Sixth Fleet” he added.
Observers here said that the Zayen speech was part of a campaign to dissuade the Lebanese Government from giving permission for a routine semi-annual Sixth Fleet visit to Lebanon late this month. The United States Embassy in Beirut still has not received a reply from Lebanon to a routine request for authorization of the visit. The request was made two months ago.
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