Egypt Continuing to Construct Large-scale Fortifications on the East Bank of the Suez Canal

Egypt is continuing to build large-scale fortifications on the east bank of the Suez Canal and has beefed up its naval strength in the Gulf of Suez by way of the Suez Canal, it was learned today. Chief of Staff Mordechai Gur told reporters that Israel was keeping a close watch on the Egyptian build-up east of the waterway but stressed that there have been no major violations of the disengagement agreement that have gone uncorrected.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Ismail Fahmy warned in Cairo today that Egypt would go to war against Israel if diplomacy and peaceful methods failed to gain Egypt’s objectives. Addressing the foreign relations committee of Egypt’s Peoples Assembly (Parliament), Fahmy said: “If through diplomacy we find that we have reached a dead end, then it will become inevitable for us to resort once again to our armed forces who have proved on the battlefield their high efficiency and combat capabilities.”

EGYPT STALLING ON CANAL REOPENING

Reliable sources here reported, meanwhile, that the Suez Canal is now navigable, although for political reasons Egypt is delaying its official reopening. The sources said the Egyptians have sent new naval units, including submarines, through the canal from north to south to reenforce their naval strength in the Gulf of Suez. The Egyptian fleet there is now at its strongest since the Yom Kippur War. It has three bases–at Adabiyeh, Ghardaka and Safagha, the sources said. According to another source, a 24,000-ton British tanker recently transited the canal in both directions.

Israeli naval units are continuing to patrol the eastern waters of the Gulf of Suez and are using the Jubal straits which have been cleared of Egyptian mines by Russian minesweepers. Previously, Israeli naval craft were forced to use the more difficult Milan straits.

Earlier, Israeli security circles said that they foresee intensive and increased supplies of Soviet military arms to Egypt. These circles stated that the large shipment of arms now reaching Egypt from Syria is the result of an agreement apparently signed by Fahmy and the Egyptian Chief of Staff when they visited the Soviet Union a few weeks ago. The flow of arms started after Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko’s visit to Cairo three weeks ago.