Israeli warning of air strikes

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33453, 7 February 1974, Page 13

Israeli warning of air strikes

(-V.Z.P..4 .-Reuter— Copyright > TEL AVIV, February 6. Israel has said that it might increase its response to Syrian shelling attacks and make air strikes on the northern front. Ihe warning, made by the State-owned Israel Radio \esterday, said that Israel would intensify action if Syria intensified cease-fire breaches into a war of attrition. 'I wo days ago Syria said that it had started a war of attrition. lor nearly two weeks, Israeli forces have been shelled heavily every day; Israel's United Nations delegation yesterday charged that Syria had violated the cease-fire 11 times between January 20 and February 4.

Meanwhile, the United States is understood to be' trying to get Israel to soften l its position on a disengage- 1 ment agreement with Syria. Informed sources in Jerusalem said that the Prime Minister (Mrs Golda Meir) had held urgent talks with Ministers on American suggestions for a compromise on the Israeli stand that disengagement talks with the Syrians could not begin until Damascus provides lists of prisoners of war held by j Syria, and permits Red Cross visits. The United States compromise was that the lists.

j should be provided, but the {visits not be started until talks opened, the sources isaid. But the Israeli Foreign

Minister (Mr Abba Eban) told a Labour Party meeting last night that the United States had not made such a proposal.