Israel Says Egyptian Blockade of Suez Canal Must Be Taken Up by U.N. Council

A spokesman for the Israel delegation to the United Nations last night said that the Egyptian blockade of Israel-bound shipping through the Suez Canal must be considered by the United Nations Security Council as a problem involving international interests. In a statement commenting on the ruling by Major General William E. Riley, Chief of Staff of the U.N. Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine, regarding Israel’s complaint against Egypt for denying free passage of Israel-bound vessels through the Canal, the spokesman said:

“General Riley makes it clear that Egypt has been engaged for two years in an ‘aggressive and hostile act’ contrary to the object of the armistice agreement between Israel and Egypt.

“This considered judgement by the authorized representative of the United Nations Follows the action of the Israel Government in initiating a discussion in the Security Council in November, 1950. Moreover, wider international interests are also involved. Nearly all of the maritime powers have protested at various times against Egypt’s action.

“Israel agrees with General Riley that the matter cannot rest where it is, and has no doubt that further consideration of the problem by the Security Council must follow. At the same time, it is difficult to see how an ‘aggressive and hostile act’ by Egypt against Israel can be regarded as lying outside the jurisdiction of the Egypt-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission.”