Firing Across Jordan River

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32053, 30 July 1969, Page 17

Firing Across Jordan River

(N.Z.P .A.-Reuter—Copyright)

TEL AVIV, July 29.

An Israeli border policeman was wounded this morning when his Army vehicle was attacked east of Ashdod Yaakov by machine-gun fire from across the Jordan River, Israeli sources said.

During the night Arab guerrillas fired bazooka and mortar shells from Jordanian territory at Israeli military positions in the Jordan and Beksan Valleys, the sources said. The fire was directed at positions near the settlements of Ashdod Yaakov, Ei Hama, Kfar Ruppin and Maoz Haim, causing no injuries and no damage. The sources said Israeli forces returned fire in each incident A Cairo report yesterday said that an Israeli Skyhawk jet was shot down by antiaircraft fire when formations of Israeli planes raided encampments on the west bank of the Suez Canal. But an Israeli spokesman in Tel. Aviv said that all planes returned safely. A United Nations mission of two men arrived in Cairo from Jerusalem to investigate the death of a Swedish United Nations observer, Major Bo Roland Plane, killed during an artillery exchange near Port Tewfik.

Major Plane was the first fatality among the 90-man United Nations observer team on the Suez Canal.

The Egyptian Foreign Minister (Mr Mahmoud Riad) and Foreign Under-secretary (Mr Salah Gohar) sent cables of condolence to the United Nations Secretary-General (U Thant), the chief United Nations observer, General Odd Bull, the Swedish Government and to Major Plane's family. The Israeli Defence Minister (General Moshe Dayan) in a letter to United Nations officials said that he was “deeply sorry” for the death of Major Plane. “I want to assure you that we all greatly appreciate the service of the United Nations observers for the cause of peace, and wish to express to you my deep sorrow at this most grievious event,” General Dayan said.