United Nations observers opened an investigation today into the clash last night between an Israeli patrol and four Arab infiltrators in which two of the intruders were killed. The other two escaped.
The incident occurred north of the Yuval settlement near the point where the borders of Lebanon, Syria and Israel meet. The dead Arabs were clad in army khaki, wore rubber shoes and had Russian and German submachine guns and Russian-type hand grenades. Syrian cigarettes and matches also were found on the bodies, indicating they had come from Syria but in a manner seeking to make it appear they had come from Lebanon.
Israeli police disclosed that the dead Arabs were members of a gang which had already carried out sabotage actions in Israel. This was indicated by a comparison of footprints found near Israeli sites of El Fatah commando activities and those of the dead Arabs. The patrol commander said his men opened fire when the intruders failed to reply to a challenge and were unable to give the proper password. The commander said weapons found on the bodies were regular Syrian army equipment.
(At the United Nations, Israel filed a complaint against Syria last night for planting a mine in a field on their border. In the explosion of the mine, seven Israelis were hurt, two seriously.)
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