Israel Government Supplies 145 Tons of Food for Victims of Jordan’s Civil War

A 19-truck convoy carrying 145 tons of food supplied by the Israel Government for the victims of Jordan’s civil war crossed the Allenby Bridge today into Jordan. The trucks, whose drivers are West Bank Arabs, carried among other items 80 tons of flour. 35 tons of sugar, 25 tons of oil and five tons of powdered milk. Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, who was at the bridge to watch the trucks roll into Jordan said the mere fact that the Jordanian authorities accepted the gift from Israel indicated that they were appreciative. He said more food supplies would be donated if needed. Gen. Dayan also ordered Israeli guards on the Jordan River spans to admit any Jordanian civilians coming to Israel for medical treatment. Israeli hospitals are prepared to admit wounded civilians brought over from Jordan, he told a group of West Bank residents who were preparing to go to Jordan to visit relatives for the first time since civil war broke out in the Jordanian kingdom ten days ago. Gen. Dayan said Israel was permitting the movement of people from the West Bank and expressed the hope that normal trade will soon resume between the West and East banks. For the first time in months, Jordanian villagers were seen returning to their homes in villages opposite Israelis Beisan Valley. Jordanian farmers and sheep herders were seen in the fields. The local residents fled months ago when Palestinian guerrillas moved into the border zone and began shelling Israeli settlements, drawing Israeli return fire on the villages. West Bank Arabs, who made no secret of their sympathy for the Palestinian guerrillas battling Hussein’s forces during the Jordanian civil war, were shocked by the announcement that Ahmed Touquan accepted the appointment of Premier in King Hussein’s new civilian government. Touquan has anti-Hussein relatives in Nablus. His sister. Fadoua Touquan, is a Palestinian zealot who has ardently supported the terrorists. According to neighbors, she shut herself in her flat saying she was mortified by the news from Amman. Other relatives have expressed the hope that Touquan will resign.