Evening star., 1949-03-13
Reinforcements Sent
By British 10 Port
OF Aqaba on Red Sea
" The Asseeiotsd Press

LONDON, Mar, Britain
ordered reinforcements today to
Aqaba, Trans-Jordan's tiny Red
Sea port. Five miles away. across
the Gulf Of Aqaba, Jewish armor-
ed columns are in possession Of
the Negeby's short Red Sea coast
line.
Trans-Jordan, which signed q
cease fire pact for the whole
Palestine front yesterday at
Rhodes, has informed Britain OH
cially Of the Israeli advance to
the Red Sea shore. Israel says
the territory Is hers under the
United Nations partition arrange
ment.
Although Israel disclaimed any
intention Of attacking or trans
crossing, Britain obviously is
viewing the situation as danger
GUS. The British and their ally.
Trans-Jordan, do not recognize
the Israeli claim to the southern
wedge of the Negeb.
Jews Drove to Red Sea.
The Israeli armored columns
had thrust through the bleak
southeast desert. for a week to
reach the coast at Eilat, where
the Negeb forms q wedge between
Egypt. Saudi Arabia and Trans
Jordan and touches the Red Sea
for five miles.
Amman quarters accused the Is
raelis Of trying to grab what they
want and present the U. N. with
an accomplished fact, as they did
with the seizure Of Arab Beer
sheba from the Egyptians last
October.
In London, the British War
Office issued this terse statement:
THE War Office announce that
the British detachment at Aqabal
is being reinforced" Britain has
a treaty with Trans-Jordan which
would require her to 60 to the
aid of King Abdullah's nation if
it should be attacked. About 1000
British troops were sent to Aqaba
In January at Abdullah's request.
British informants refused to
tell the size of the reinforcements,l !
where they would be sent from
or whether Abdullah asked for
them.
Aqaba is a strategic spot in the
Middle East. It Is the only ac-
cess to trade routes for Abdul
lah's otherwise landlocked king
dom. From Aqaba ships can sail
into the Indian Ocean or up to
the Suez Canal and into the Medi-
terranean.
Isreal Plans Own Port.
Across the gulf, troops Of Isreal
are within rife fire Of three of her
Arab neighbors, her enemies in
the recent Palestine war. These
are Trans-Jordan. Egypt and
Saudi Arabia.
r. H. S. Crossman, a Labor
member of the British parliament
who recently returned from Israel,
said the new Jewish state has
plans to establish its own port on
the Red Sea to aid in economic
development of the desert area. 1t
was in this area that King
Solomon once built a harbor for
Hebrew ships sailing to the Orient.
Tel Aviv imposed censorship on
the situation. Through the tight
veil, Associated Press Correspond
ent James M. Long could send
only these 10 words Of q dispatch:
Blue and white flag Of Israel
flaps sodden in chill drizzle of
rain over bleak gravelly coast of
Eilat across northern tip Of gulf
from Trans-Jordon fishing port Of
Aqaba."
Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe
sharet (ShertoH told newsmen
in Tel Aviv yesterday that Israel
regards the Negev coastline as
Israeli territory. He said Israel
had no intention of attacking
Trans-Jordan and added that
Aqaba is in Trans-Jordan, not in
Israel.
Claim Based on q. N. Plan.
Israel's claim in based on the
November, 1947, partition plan of
the United Nations assigning the
LOST,