An urgent two-hour meeting was held here last night by United States Ambassador Edward B. Lawson with Israel’s Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, at the former’s urgent request.
Although the content of the unusually long meeting was not disclosed, it is assumed that the talk had to do with Israel’s stand on its withdrawal from Sinai as presented to Secretary of State John Foster Dulles last Friday in Washington by Israel’s Foreign Minister Mrs. Golda Meir.
An extraordinary meeting of the Israel Cabinet today heard reports on Mr. Ben Gurion’s talk last night with the U.S Ambassador as well as on Mrs Meir’s talk in Washington with Secretary Dulles. An official communique, issued after the Cabinet meeting, said that “after exhaustive discussion” the Cabinet approved instructions to be sent to Israel’s delegation at the United Nations and to all Israel embassies abroad.
The nature of the instructions decided upon by the Cabinet were not disclosed. However, it is believed that they include a reiteration of Israel’s opposition to unilateral compliance by Israel alone with the November 2 resolution of the United Nations which called upon Israel to withdraw from Sinai and on all governments concerned to cease their hostilities.
ISRAEL PUZZLED BY LACK OF U.S. UNDERSTANDING; WANTS GUARANTEES
It is understood that, while complying with the UN resolution and continuing its withdrawal from Sinai, Israel expects also to receive guarantees that Egypt too will comply with this resolution and will cease the Suez blockade against Israel as well as the raids of Arab commandos on Israel.
The absence of any indication of American understanding of the seriousness of the Arab commando attacks within Israel, which have been renewed and even intensified since the United Nations passed its November 2 resolution, is creating among the population here the same feeling which prevailed before Israel’s entrance into Sinai. Israelis are beginning to feel again that Israel must by herself assure the conditions of her own security. These sentiments are growing all the more because Egyptian circles openly assume responsibility for the fedayeen commando attacks and also clearly indicate Egypt’s intention to continue the blockade against Israel shipping.
Meanwhile, authoritative circles today revealed that, as of January 7, there will be no Israeli forces in Sinai west of the line running south of el-Arish. This represents a three-day advance over the date announced by United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold. From January 7, the greater part of Sinai will be evacuated by Israeli troops, these sources stated.
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