Dr. Ralph J. Bunche, acting United Nations Palestine mediator, has informed the British delegation at Lake Success that it was Britain, rather than Israel, which violated the Palestine truce by reinforcing the ###rison at Aqaba several days ago. This new development came to light here today after the British Foreign Office London denied haying received such a communication from the mediator. Technically, appears the Foreign Office was right since Dr. Bunche sent his message to the British delegation here, in response to a request for information from Sir Terrence Shone, Britain’s representative on the Security Council.
The British delegation, apparently under instructions to make new truce breach accusations against Israel before the U.N., sent a request for information on alleged Israeli troop movements in the Negev to .Dr. Bunche. The request vas designed to elic### from the mediator a condemnation of Israel’s recent troop maneuvers in the southeastern Negov which culminated in the occupation of Urn Reshresh, less than two miles from the Transjordan border at Aqaba but within Israel’s boundaries as laid down by the United Nations.
Dr. Bunche replied, in a communication which has not been made public, that Israel was within its rights in moving troops to the Elath area. The recently-concluded armistice between Egypt and Israel had, he pointed out, not restricted Israel’s freedom of movement in the eastern Negev. The Israeli operation could, therefore, not be considered a breach of the Security Council resolutions adopted in Paris last November, since these applied to a specific area of the western Negev where Israeli and Egyptian troops were then engaged. In any case, these resolutions had now been superseded by the armistice agreement, Bunche pointed out.
The mediator added that, in his opinion, if a breach of the truce had been committed, it was Britain which contravened the Security Council resolution of last July by sending troops to Aqaba and then reinforcing the garrison there. The resolution in question expressly forbade the introduction of fighting personnel, arms or military equipment into Palestine or any of the Arab countries by any power.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
