Tekoah Tells Thant Situation of Jews in Arab States Has Worsened

Ambassador Yosef Tekoah of Israel told Secretary-General U Thant here that the situation of the Jewish people in several Arab countries has grown increasingly grave. Several weeks ago Mr. Thant announced that he would send a special emissary to the Middle East to study the situation of civilians in various states affected by the June war. At that time Mr. Thant published correspondence he had received from Israel in which the Israelis had insisted that the mission look particularly into the condition of Jews in Egypt. Mr. Thant said Egypt had agreed to the general proposition of cooperating with a new UN emissary. A previous UN mission headed by Ambassador Nils Goran-Gussing, which had examined the situation of civilians in the Arab countries, reported to Mr. Thant months ago that Egypt did not allow the mission to look into the situation of Jews there. Thus far, Mr. Thant has not indicated when he will send the mission to the Middle East or who will head it.