Israel Announces “full Agreement” on Withdrawal at U. N. Assembly

Israeli Foreign Minister Mrs. Golda Meir told the United Nations General Assembly today that, upon instructions from the Israel Government, she can announce that the Chief of Staff of the Israel forces, Maj. Gen. Moshe Dayan, had met with Maj. Gen. E. L. M Burns, commander of the UN Emergency Forces, to discuss the details of the withdrawal from the Gaza and Akaba areas, in accordance with the statement which she made in the Assembly last Friday.

“I am happy to state that they came to full agreement on the arrangements for the withdrawal and the take-over,” she declared. Her announcement was received with a feeling of great relief among most of the delegates. It was immediately followed by a statement to the Assembly by Commander Alan Noble, British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, declaring that the British Government considers the Akaba waterway “an international waterway” and that “there should be some form of international administration and control” in the Gaza Strip.

The British representative stated that his government “assumes” that when Israeli forces are withdrawn from the Akaba area, units of the United Nations Emergency Force will be stationed there. As for the Gaza area, the British representative stated: “It seems to us that the assumptions and expectations of the government of Israel in regard to the Gaza Strip are reasonable, and should present no difficulties.” He supported Israel’s demand that the Gaza area should be placed under the supervision of the United Nations.

Soviet delegate Arkady A. Sobolev criticized Israel and complained that Mrs. Meir’s statement mentioned no date for Israel troops to leave the Gaza and Akaba areas. He attacked the United States for supporting Israel’s demand for freedom of navigation. However, the delegates of the Netherlands, Ceylon, Italy, Canada and New Zealand praised Mrs. Meir’s statement.

ISRAELIS SAY EISENHOWER’S LETTER INFLUENCED THEIR DECISION

Israeli circles here declared tonight that Israel feels encouraged by the support its stand has received in the Assembly from many leading Western delegations, but “even now it is performing an act of faith in withdrawing, “they said.

“Israel has been influenced above all factors by President Eisenhower’s assurance to Mr. Ben Gurion of support of the expectations set out in Mrs. Meir’s statement of last Friday. It is understood that this letter came in response to Mr. Eban’s statement to Secretary Dulles on Saturday that the American position was still not as clear to the Israeli people as could be wished.

“Although the President’s letter is a restatement of American policy rather than a new statement, its simple direct formulation and the eminence of its signatory appear to have had an important effect,” the Israelis stressed.

Pointing out that Israel feels that in regard to Akaba it has achieved “very close to the guarantees of free passage” which she sought, the Israelis noted that there are still some anxieties in regard to the Gaza area.