Gen. Odd Bull, United Nations Truce Supervision Organization Chief of Staff, told an Israeli Foreign Ministry official yesterday that the Syrian Government asserts it is interested in obtaining quiet on the tense Syrian-Israeli border. Prior to his talk with Joseph Tekoah, deputy director general of the Foreign Ministry, Gen. Bull met in Damascus with the Syrian Chief of Staff.
It was reported that Gen. Bull and Mr. Tekoah also discussed the problem of Israeli land cultivation along the Syrian border. Syrians have used such cultivation efforts as a pretext for opening fire on Israelis. Israel indicated that while the area of cultivation was small, it did not intend to halt the work because it did not wish to prejudice the demarcation line or Israel’s absolute sovereignty over the territory.
Premier Levi Eshkol told a military graduation exercise today that the recent incursions by Syrians “forced us to prove once again that those who plan to strike at our peace, property and lives will not be given a free hand to do so.” The Israel Premier emphasized that there was no force in the world which could prevent a human being from reacting as he thinks fit in the face of blood spilling and murder. “We warn all our enemies that we will be alert for possible sabotage attempts by El Fatah raiders or other elements,” he said.
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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.