TEL AVIV: Israel’s Foreign Minister Abba Eban alleged today [Jan 16] that after the Israeli command had announced a fresh outbreak of Arab “terrorism”, “Israel has reached the limits of its endurance”. After a fortnight of almost incessant violence across the borders, he said, Israel had sent protests to all members of the United Nations Security Council for the fourth time “since the current wave of terror began”.

Meanwhile, the UN Secretary-General U Thant yesterday appealed urgently to Israel and Syria to refrain from any military action that could provoke a conflict.

U Thant also called upon the two Governments to convene a meeting of the Armistice Commission to avoid a repetition of incidents.

The text of the appeal was delivered to the members of the Security Council.

(In Damascus, a Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman said today in response to U Thant’s appeal: “Israel bears the entire responsibility for the tension reigning along the Syro-Israeli frontiers.” The spokesman said the Foreign Ministry had asked its permanent delegation at the United Nations to inform Mr Thant about the details of the present situation.)

Meanwhile in Cairo, the semi-official newspaper “Al Ahram” said today that the situation on the Syria-Israel border was “grave”, but published the reports from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Damascus without comment.

The newspaper said the Israeli Cabinet and military leaders yesterday studied “the possibility of reprisal raids against Syria”. Quoting sources in Middle East capitals, the newspaper stressed that the Syrian command, set up by the Defence agreement between the two countries last year, is closely following the situation.

General Odd Bull, chief of the United Nations observer corps is continuing his efforts to prevent the sharply rising tension from reaching breaking point. But observers here expected today that he would have new “last-chance” talks with the Syrians.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2017