Reports circulating here that Egypt may have decided on warfare by proxy rather than resume shooting on the Suez Canal were borne out by this morning’s issue of the semi-official Cairo newspaper, Al Ahram. The paper, reporting on the visit of El Fatah leader, Yasser Arafat to Egypt, said that he was working out a common plan of action with Egyptian leaders concerning the resumption of activities by the Palestinian terrorist organizations.
According to some quarters here, this was being done at the recommendation of the Soviet Union. The latter had warned Egypt not to venture into another round of open warfare against Israel and told its leaders that Soviet troops would not support such action. On the other hand, the Soviet Union was said to be interested in keeping up tension in the area and the terrorist organizations seem like a good means for this end.
(In Washington, there were reports today that Russia has offered training and medical aid to the guerrillas in a major reversal of its long-standing policy of aloofness toward the fedayeen movement. The principal stipulation is reported to be that the guerrillas make an effort to end their political feuding, cease trying to undermine existing Arab regimes and concentrate of the resumption of terrorist and sabotage attacks against Israel.)
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