An Israel Foreign Ministry spokesman, commenting on the American warning to Israel and Jordan last week against permitting further deterioration of the situation along their common frontier, this week-end said that the sole responsibility for the tension rested with Jordan.
He charged that Jordan authorities have refused for a long time to take action to check infiltration of Israel territory, even encouraging armed raiders to commit murder and theft and to plant Iandmines in Israel. “The moment the Jordanians open their eyes to infiltration the border region will return to calm.”
Earlier an Israeli spokesman stressed that reports published abroad that Britain had “warned” Israel to avoid incidents along the Israel-Jordan border were inaccurate. The spokesman said that the British Ambassador, calling on Israel Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett at the latter’s invitation, had expressed concern over the situation. The Ambassador also informed Mr. Sharett that the British envoy to Amman was making similar representation to the Jordan authorities.
Several Jewish youths captured a building in the demilitarized zone between the Old City and the new city of Jerusalem, the Ramallah (Jordan) radio announced last night. In a broadcast heard here, the Arab announcer said that the youths took over a building formerly used as an Arab college which was located near the one-time residence of the last British High Commissioner in Palestine.
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