A Dutch vessel bound for Haifa with cargo destined for Israel was detained by Egypt and part of the cargo was confiscated, it was revealed here today when the Israel delegation to the United Nations lodged a complaint against Egypt to the UN Security Council.
Today’s action came in the form of a letter to Cyro de Freitas Valle of Brazil, this month’s president of the Security Council, from Mordecai R. Kidron, Israel’s acting permanent representative here. It said that Egyptian authorities at Port Said, on the Suez Canal, detained the Netherlands freighter, S.S. Fedala, on July 8.
The ship was en route from Massawa, Eritrea, to Haifa, Massawa was also the point of origin of the Israel freighter Bat Galim seized by the Egyptians in the Suez Canal on September 28, 1954, and still being held by the Egyptians despite an Egyptians promise in the Security Council to release the ship.
“The cargo of the Fedala,” Mr. Kidron wrote, “included a civilian motor car belonging to a resident of Israel. The motor car was seized by the Egyptian authorities and, after a delay of two days, the vessel was released and permitted to pursue its voyage.” Mr. Kidron’s complaint pointed out that Egypt’s most recent action is a violation of the Security Council resolution of 1951 which ordered Egypt to keep the Suez Canal open to all shipping including voyages to and from Israel.
“This flagrant interference with a merchant vessel peaceful and legitimately plying the Suez Canal, aggravated by confiscation of part of the cargo, is the most recent example of the purposeful and arbitrary manner in which the Government of Egypt continues to flout the will of the United Nations,” the Israel protest said.
It did not ask at this time for a meeting of the Council on the issue, but requested only that the complaint be circulated to all the members of the Council. The letter concluded with a reminder to the Council that Egypt has not yet released the Bat Galim.
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