Israel, Syria Review Dispute

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31340, 10 April 1967, Page 13

Israel, Syria Review Dispute

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) TEL AVIV, April 9. Israel and Syria yesterday licked their wounds after yesterday’s fierce land and air battle and speculated about each other’s seriousness over the border encounter.

Israeli observers believe that the quick escalation—from the machine-gunning of an Israeli tractor to an air battle in which the two sides claim to have shot down a total of 11 planes—might serve to restrain Syrian aggressiveness.

Arab observers in Beirut said that the fighting indicated that Israel was serious in her warning that she would go to the limit to counter trigger-happiness. But at the same time, the Arab observers doubted that losses would deter Syria from taking more angry retaliation if Israeli tractors should again plough the disputed land. '

The Israeli Chief of State, Major-General Yitshak Rabin, said that the myth of the impregnability of Syrian positions along the mountain range overlooking the border had ended with the clash. He described the land-air fight as “the turning point in Israeli-Syrian relations”—because it showed Syria would no longer be able to dictate to her adversary the type of war, or the terms on which it should be fought. General Rabin’s appraisal

was matched In Damascus today by a grim forecast from the Syrian Information Minister, Mr Mohammed Al-Zu-bi. He said the military exchange would be followed by more severe battles until Palestine was liberated—and

claimed there could be no permanent calm in the Arab world as long as “Zionist occupation” continued. It was reported from Beirut that Iraqi armed forces were fully prepared to aid Syria against Israeli aggression, according to a statement broadcast by Baghdad Radio. The Associated Press reported that the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Levi Eshkol, declared during an inspection tour of the border area that he was confident friendly foreign powers would understand the situation which again had compelled Israel to use her Air Force. He said he had ordered the Israel Air Force into action to prevent the wholesale destruction of Israel's border settlements.