Recent events have not brought any increase in tension that would lead to a new eruption in the Middle East, Major General William E. Riley, United Nations truce chief in Palestine, told a press conference here today.
Gen. Riley, who is now on a visit to U.N. headquarters, declared that he saw no danger at all of increased tension between Israel and the Arab states as a consequence of Arab refusal to join in the Korean war because of the rankling over U.N. handling of the Palestine situation. “Both sides are looking for a way to a peace settlement,” he said. “The mixed armistice commissions are operating in a friendly atmosphere and solving many civilian problems.”
He added that the most serious recont fracas had been amicably settled. This happened when a small Israeli force crossed the Gaza-Rafah demarcation line and anexchange of shots with Egyptian forces took place. Gen. Riley said the Israelis had mistakenly crossed the line, withdrow when they discovered the error and later apologized to the Egyptian Government. As a result, the truce commander related, a joint patrol group is digging a furrow in the sand to mark the lines.
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