MISSILE REPORT Israel Angry About U.S. Attitude

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32379, 19 August 1970, Page 13

MISSILE REPORT Israel Angry About U.S. Attitude

<N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—CopyrtyhtJ WASHINGTON, August 18. In the face of mounting Israeli anger, the United States today still resisted pressure for immediate confirmation of charges that Egypt had violated the Middle East cease-fire.

A crisis of confidence appeared to be growing between Washington and Jerusalem, the Israelis worried by the inability of United States experts to express a judgment on intelligence data they have gathered and also provided by Israel itself.

The Nixon Administration failed to make an expected announcement yesterday, saying that it still did not have conclusive proof of Israel’s week-old allegation that Egypt had moved Russian missiles closer to the Suez Canal. It was believed that at least another few days would pass before the American investigation was complete, despite the contention of Israeli diplomats that the delay was undermining their belief in the ability of the United States to police the truce. Israeli sources said that the evidence given to the State Department was irrefutable, and the longer the delay the deeper was their conviction that Washington was trying to dodge the issue. The State Department’s attitude prompted several lines of speculation. One was that no evidence had been detected and that the United States and Israeli attitudes stemmed from honest differences over interpretation of intelligence data.

The Israeli Foreign Minister (Mr Abba Eban) said that the delay in naming Israel’s representative to the peace talks under the United Nations Middle East envoy, Dr Gunnar Jarring, was

- caused by “urgent preoccupal tion” with the reported cease- ; fire violations. * Egypt and Jordan have alI ready nominated their United , Nations ambassadors as their s representatives.