Authoritative sources in Jerusalem were cited today by the Daily Telegraph as denying reports that Israel had concentrated troops on the Jordanian border in response to the assassination Monday of Jordanian Premier Majali.
The same sources were quoted as saying that the Israel Army was following events in Jordan closely and that the delicate situation created by the upheaval in Amman, Jordan’s capital, was being studied with almost fact and attention.
The correspondent reported that it was understood that in view of reports that Syrian troops had been moved to Jordan’s northern border, Israel would not remain passive if changes occurred in the region.
It was reported also that United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold informed King Hussein of Jordan yesterday that Pie Spinelli, Hammarskjold’s envoy, had been instructed to return to Jordan immediately to provide any requested help.
In another report, the London daily quoted Lt. Col. R.R. Heuihan, commander of the Canadian contingent of the United Nations Emergency Force in the Middle East, as declaring that President Nasser of the United Arab Republic has equipped a two-battalion army for a strike at Israel across the UN forces.
“Nasser’s aim is to create a new Palestine state out of Israel and integrate it with the United Arab Republic,” the Canadian UN officer was quoted as saying, adding that Nasser “will do this by negotiation if possible, but by war if he cannot do it any other way.”
The Canadian officer said that the situation on the Arab-Israel front was “far from quiet,” He said that while only a few incidents had occurred recently, “there is always the possibility that something will happen.”
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.
