UNITED NATIONS Distr. SECURITY GENERAL S/3580 CO U Nel L 9 April 1956 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

LETTER DATED 9 APRIL 1956 ~~OM TEE FERlfillNENT REPRESENTATIVE OF , ADDREGSED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL

I have the honour to refer to my letter of 6 April 1956 (S/3577) and to submit the follOi'1ing additional information concerning further Egyptian attacl~s in violation of the General Armistice Agreement between EgyPt and Israel. On 5 April 1956, at 17:00 hours, the Senio~ Isr~elDelegate to the Egypt~Israel Mixed Armistice Commission informed the Chairman of the Mixed Armistice Commission that Israel accepted the cease-fire call on condition that all firing by El?ypt would cease. He was informed that Egypt would cease firing at 18:00 hours. The

Israel Representative informed the Chairman that, from that time all firing would stop on the Israel side. Egyptian forces however continued firing and shelling for about thirty minutes despite Israel's strict observance of the cease-fire. On 6 April 1956" the cease-fire 'vas broken by Egypt at apprOXimately 08: 15 hours, when sub-machine gun fire was opened on an Israel patrol mOVing along the border inside Israel territory. The fire ivas returned. A cease-fire was al'ranged one hour later. A complaint by lsrael was SUbmitted to the Chairman of the Mixed Armistice Commission. On 7 April 1956, at 07:30 hours, Egypt again violated the General Armistice Agr~:ement and broke the cease-fire when rifle and SUb-machine gun fire was directed at ~n Israel position in the sector. The fire was returned. At 09:10 hours, Egyptian positions opened rifle and SUb-machine gun fire on Israel positions in'the MGfalsim and Erez sector. At 10:10 hours, the Egyptian positions renewed their firing on the above Israel positions. The fire ,vas returned and the exchange of fire lasted t:lntil 10:25 hours.

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An emergency meeting of the Mixed Armistice Commission 'vas J:'Gquested by Israel. At 15:20 hours, Egyptian positions opened sub-machine gun fire on Israel positions in the Nahal Oz sector. The fire was not returned. At .16: 10 hours, Egyptian positiens opened fire on an Israel patJ:'ol near . The fire was not returned. During the night of ApTil 7~8 widespread sabotage and metrder aotiVities were carried out by' Egyptian gangs operating deep inside Israel's territox'y. The~le gangs of trained murderers were dispatched by the Egyptian High Command to carry out their acts of terror. Their nefarious activities, detring the night of 7-8 April, resulted in the deaths of four persons and the wounding of fourteen. The following is a partial list of their activities: At 20:30 hours, a car was attacked by autoreatic fire on the Beersheba - Faluja road. Two passengers were wounded. At 20:40 hours, tire Ivas opened on two civilian cars on the Faluja -, Iraq el Suidan road. Several passengers were wounded. At the same tim8, hand grenades were thrown on a tractor assembly station near Nitzanim and alvater pumping station ,vas .mined near Migdal. During the evening fire was opened on civilians ,vho Ivere on their way to Migdal. Severa! persons were injured. At 21: 00 hours, a civilian trucl<:: vias attacked neaJ:' ShuvaL One passenger was killed and one was wounded. At 22:10 hours, a passenger car was attacked near Achuzam. Three persons ,vere wounded, one seriously. Irhe car Ivas set on fire. Two more cars which had been attacked near Achuzam were found abandoned the following morning. At 23:00 hours, fire was opened on a civilian passenger car on the Beersheba ­ road, between Schachar and Uzza. The occupants of the car noticed a roac1.,blockand managed to turn back and escape. At 23:30 hours, a passenger car was fired on in the Vicinity of Achuzam on the Faluja road. The vehicle went up in flames. At 23:30 hours, fire was opened on. an ambulance near Faluja, on the Beersheba- Tel Aviv road•

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At 24·:00 hours, a hand-grenade was. thrown into a house in Migc1al. One \'/01l,an was ldllec1 and t'l'lO persons 'I"ere 'I"oundec.

At 03:45 hours, an Egyptian unit operating within Israel territol'y "laS . noticed by an Israel patrol near Erez. The Egyptian unit managed to escape into Egyptian territory. rrhe following morning it was discovered that during the night rail'lvay tra.cks had been sabota.ged at Nitzanim and Uzza. The murderous 'I"ave of Egyptian aggression has mounted steadily during the 'past few days. It began with constant attacks initiated by Egyptian forces against Israel defence units and positions along the border, and against Israel settlemerrts in the area. Full responsibility for these. attacks and for. the resulting heavy toll in human lives rests with the Egyptian Prime Minister, who has refused to issue a cease-fire order to his troops, despite the repeated requests addressed to him by Uni.ted Nations authorities ever since November 1955. This refusal and the long series of acts of violence carr'ied out almost daily by Egyptian forces aga:i.nst Israel patrols and outposts, are incontrovertible proof of Egypt's aggressive intent and of her Government's determination to increase tension. The initiative of the Egyptian High Command on 7 April in sending armed sabotage and murder gangS. deep into Israel' s territory for the terroriza'tion of the civilian population constitutes a warlike act of the gravest kind. The Egyptian Government's utter contempt for human lives is illustrated by the establishment of fortified emplacements'lv;i.thin the confines of the city of Gaza and in other civilian population centers. Heavy mortar fire from these emplacements, directed indiscriminately against civilian settlements have caused terror, havoc and destruction. In one instance a children's home at Ein Hashlosha was destroyed only a few minutes after the children have been led away to nearby shelters. 8uch attacks made it imperative, as an unavoidable measure of self­ defence, to silence these Egyptian batteries. The Egyptian Government alone must bear responsibility for the civilian casualties incurred. It bears a dOUble gUilt,. first for the murderous attacks of its forces on Israel civilians and second for the cynical ~xposure of the inhabitants of the Gaza strip to mortal danger by launching attacks from military emplacements set up in thickly populated areas, :i.n reckless foUy and wanton disregard of hUJaan lives. S/3580 English Page .4

The accelerated pace and expanding .scale of Egyptian aggression, at the very moment when the Secretary-General of the United Nations is due to arrive in the area on a mis.sion of peace, must inevitably give rise to grave apprehensions regarding Egypt's intentions and to s3rious concern for the prospects of avoiding war in the Middle East. I have the honour to re~uest that this letter be circulated among the members of the Security CounCil. Please accept, Sir, the renewed assurances of my r.ighest consideration.

(Signed) ARTHUR C. LIVERAN P.P. Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations

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