Truce Chief to Seek Wider U. N. Discussion of Gaza Clash

Israel’s insistence that the Security Council consider the overall, fundamental situation along its border with Egypt, when the Gaza incident debate is resumed by the Council here Thursday, will be aided very effectively in the report on that clash to be given the Council by Maj. Gen, E.L.M. Burns, UN truce chief. That was the information obtained by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency from Gen. Burns himself when he arrived at New York’s International Airport early today.

Gen. Burns revealed, in answer to questions, that his Security Council report will include specific reference to his four-point program of last November designed to help stabilize the border situation along the Gaza strip. Since Israel’s counter–grievance pending before the Council now–in answer to Egypt’s complaint about “aggression”–refers to the tension existing along the Gaza frontier over a period of months, Gen. Burns’ reference to his four points was seen as paving the way for Council consideration of fundamental issues–rather than restriction to an isolated outbreak like that of the night of February 28.

As far as the Gaza clash itself is concerned, Gen. Burns said, he will present to the Security Council a full report which will include photographs. But he will include also his four-point program which requests Israel and Egypt to arrange for direct contact among local border commanders, patrol of border by military cars carrying representatives of both sides as well as UN observers, erection of a barbed-wire fence along some stretches of the Israel-Egypt demarcation line, and manning of all outposts by regular military personnel from both sides.

Right now, Gen. Burns said, the situation along the Egyptian-Israel border is quiet enough to warrant his absence from the scene. The Gaza incident, he declared, “was a bad one,” but there is no likelihood of the situation worsening into full-scale war. “Neither side wants it, “he added.

The UN truce chief said his Council report will be factual and will deal only with past occurrences. “I intend making no recommendations for the future,” he said, implying that he considers such recommendations to be within the scope of the diplomats on the Security Council. Since the Gaza clash, he said, “both sides have been exercising restraint: both have been trying to keep the peace.” Gen. Burns said he had no plans to confer with United States State Department officials in charge of Middle East affairs. He had talked with British Foreign Office officials while passing through London on the way here from Jerusalem. However, Burns said, his stop in London was not for political purposes but “so that I could buy an overcoat.”

DIPLOMATS AT U.N. CONFER ON ACTION BY SECURITY COUNCIL

Meanwhile, British and American diplomatic leaders here, as well as the missions representing France and Turkey, were known to be conferring about plans for some action by the Security Council after it has heard Gen. Burns’ report.

Egypt was pressing for a resolution that would condemn Israel in strongest terms. Col. Saleh Gohar, head of the Arab Affairs Division of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, arrived here yesterday, and is lobbying frantically in favor of a harsh censure resolution terming Israel an “aggressor” and, possibly, calling upon Israel to pay compensation to the “victims” of the Gaza clash and their families.

However, it is believed that, at the behest of Great Britain, the Western Big Three have agreed to be easier on Israel and to avoid the type of action demanded by Egypt and favored by some of the members of the U.S. delegation. Instead of adopting a harsh censure resolution, the feeling is now that speeches from the floor would condemn “all” aggressive tendencies, might go so far as to slap Israel on the wrist for the Gaza incident, but would wind up by demanding that “both” sides must keep the peace.