ISRAEL BORDER CLASHES

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27750, 30 August 1955, Page 11

ISRAEL BORDER CLASHES

More Breaches Of 1949 Armistice

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 8 p.m.)

GAZA, August 29.

The Israeli-Egyptian Mixed Armistice Commission will meet in no man’s land near Gaza today to inquire into two border clashes—the first of a series of incidents which up to last night were reported to have cost 15 Israeli and seven Egyptian lives. Israel and Egypt each complain of frontier attacks by the other on August 13 and August 22 respectively. After the second clash Egypt broke off the United Nations-sponsored talks aimed at reducing border tension.

The latest incidents were a tw o-hour exchange of gunfire, and a mine explosion, in the Gaza area yesterday. Four Egyptians and two Israelis were reported to have been killed. According to the Cairo radio there was also shooting between Israeli and Jordan patrols in the Hebron region. Egyptian reports said the firing yesterday started with simultaneous attacks on five Egyptian outposts, but the Israeli Foreign Ministry last night said the Egyptian “aggression” was worse than at any time since the 1949 armistice between the two countries.

In Cairo, Western diplomats expressed concern that the situation would lead to a resumption of fullscale hostilities unless Britain, the United States. and France—who signed the 1950 tripartite declaration—made a determined intervention.

The joint declaration of the maintenance of peace and stability in the Arab States and Israel included an undertaking by the Western Powers to take immediate action inside and outside the United Nations to prevent any State from violating by force the territorial status quo. Egyptian reports state that the last flare-up involved mortars and field artillery at five different points east of Gaza.

They say that Israeli troops, supported by heavy artillery including 25pounders, simultaneously attacked five Egyptian outposts at dawn. Truce Negotiated Egyptian troons returned the fire, and a gun duel ensued, the report states. Firing continued until United Nations observers, carrying white flags, negotiated a truce about two hours later. An Israeli spokesman in Tel Aviv said that the firing spread along seven miles, and that an Egyptian outpost which opened heavy fire on an Israeli post was silenced by Israeli guns. In Cairo the Secretary-General of the Arab League (Mr Abdel Khalek Hassuna) said that representatives of the Arab States would meet there soon to consider the American proposals for Arab-Israel peace. Mr Dulles, the American Secretary of State, said last week that President Eisenhower would be ready to join in guarantees of permament Israeli-Arab frontiers if these are established.

He also proposed compensation for Palestine Arab refugees and United Nations reconsideration of the status of Jerusalem. An Israel Foreign Office statement ir. Jerusalem tonight said that Egyptian “aggression” has reached dimensions without precedent since the 1950 armistice agreement between the two countries.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the Israeli Government would take all measures bf selfdefence for the protection of its citizens.

The spokesman said: “The Egyptian Army not only attacks Israeli security natrols moving along the armistice line, but penetrates deeply into Israel territory, mining roads, attacking vehicles, and destroying wells, with a rising toll of dead and wounded.”