Syria Calls Civilians To Join Army

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31195, 20 October 1966, Page 17

Syria Calls Civilians To Join Army

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) DAMASCUS, October 19. Civilians were called to arms in Syria last night and an appeal was broadcast for volunteers to join what was officially called a Popular Defence Army.

Appeals broadcast at intervals by Damascus Radio and television said 20 recruiting centres would be opened for volunteers in Damascus this morning.

“Following recent aggressive threats by Israel we call upon the citizens to volunteer to carry arms in a Popular Defence Army which will share with the Regular Armed Forces the honour of defending Syria against any aggression,” said the appeal which was signed by the local derevolution. Tension Builds Up The move came as tension built up on the Syrian-Israeli borders. The arms call-up appeal called the current situation “decisive" and charged Israel’s “imperialism reactionaries” with “joining forces to destroy Syria's Socialist revolution. The statement, however, warned that Syria would be “the cemetery of aggressors and the Syrian revolution shall be the spark for Palestine’s liberation.” Call By Israel The total number of recruiting centres throughout the country was not given. Syrian leaders recently said they were planning a series of mobilisation measures to counter possible Israeli attacks and emphasised arms would be made available to the civilian population. In the United Nations today Israel urged Arab countries to abandon their hostility

and work with it in rebuilding the Middle East. The Israeli Ambassador, Mr Michael Comay. said in the General Assembly, it was time the Arab nations realised Israel existed and would continue to defend its right to exist. The differences between Israel and the Arab world, he said would not be solved by force or propaganda but by negotiation and co-operation. “We and the Arab people are kinsmen," he said. “Between us we have added many glorious pages to history. “We desire nothing but to live and work with our neigh-

hours in peace - ”>• tion and to ma' n once again one s of civilisation." Mr Comay spok y to a statement mac. the Assembly yesterday by the Syrian Ambassador, Mr George Tomeh. “and to earlier statements in the same vein." He said Syria and other Arab countries had tried to create the impression that Israel was a creation of colonialism and imperialism. “That is plain nonsense,” he said. “The same people to which I belong had been in the same spot we are now in three thousand years ago.”