Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-21

was dropped for the time being.
The troops will halt at the Jordan
border ready for action if needed.
Originally, the Iraqi military sup
port had been requested by Jordan's
young King HusSein whose cousin,
Faisal II, is King of Iraq. Hussein's
government, increasingly shaky in
recent weeks, feared collapse under
the mounting pressure of internal
nationalist opposition and stepped
up Israeli border raids on Jordan
outposts.
General elections, being held in
Jordan today, were viewed as the
possible opportunity for a national
ist coup.
But tension was eased noticeably
after Britain bluntly warned Israel
that continued attacks on Jordan
would bring British military assist
ance to that nation under the terms
of the British-Jordanian treaty of
defense. A British Royal Air Force
Jet fighter squadron, already sta
toned at Amman, the Jordan cap
ital, was reinforced by an undis-
closed number of new Hunter jets.
U. N. Action Asked
With the firm promise of British
military support, Jordan authori-
ties felt more secure. On Monday
the Jordanian Ambassador to
Washington, Abdel Monem Rifai,
formally requested a meeting of the
United Nations Security Council to
deal with "acts of aggression" by
Israel. And Jordan's chief of staff,
young Maj. Gen. Ali Abu Nuwar,
announced in Amman that Iraq'S
army would remain outside Jordan's
borders but would be available i'm
mediately if needed to repel an
Israeli attack.
In Jerusalem, Premier David
Ben-Gurion recalled Israels am
oassadors to the United States,
Britain, France and the Soviet
Union for consultations on the
Iraqi troop movement. Israel has
no armistice agreement with Iraq,
a fact noted by Mr.. Ben-Gurion
when he told the Knesset (Parlia-
ment that Israel reserves free
dom of action" if Iraqi units entered
Jordan.
Significantly, the Jordan de-
ciSion to hold Iraqi troops outside
her borders for the moment was
largely influenced by the attitude
of Egypt. When news of the Hus-
sein request to Faisal for military
assistance reached Cairo, Egyp-
tian strong man Canal Abdel
Nasser was reported to be furious.
The Egyptian reaction served to
underline the importance of the
ace Israel has in the hole-the
basic lack of unity among the Arab
states, particularly the rivalry be-
tween Egypt and Iraq for leader
ship of the Arab world. (See story
by Fred Theroux on Page A-250
In Washington, Secretary of
State Dulles. after a lengthy talk
with Israel's Ambassador, Abba
Eban, Monday before the ENJOYS
departure for Jerusalem, reaffirmed
the intention of the United States
to support within constitutional
means" any victim of aggression in
the Middle East.
AT his news conference, Mr..
Dulles described the heightening
crisis in Palestine as "a deteriora-
ton of the situation" but told re-
porters that latest reports on the
Iraqi troops indicated an improve
ment in the outlook for continued
control,
The Secretary's pledge Of aid to
ANY victim of aggression" left wide
open, of course, the definition Of
Just which side would be declared
the victim in Palestine. But his
hearers generally agreed that the
United States was. in effect. back
ing the British pledge of aid to
Jordan in the event of an Israeli
offensive,
Israeli Temperance
The Israeli Parliament, mean
while, voted down. SO to 8, a resolu-
ton that would have committed
the government to military meas
ures against Jordan in the event
Iraqi army units entered that ma
tons borders. The same day
"wednesday the Knesset also de-
feated Communist-sponsored res
olution which would have ordered
the ending of Israeli reprisal &C
lions after border raids.
Both votes followed three days
of debate, during which Premier
Ben-Gurion called Egyptian Presi-
dent Nasser a Fascist dictator"
who aspired "to dominate by force
all the Arab countries and who does
not conceal his intention to liqui-
date the state of Israel"
Mr.. Ben-Gurion refused to ex-
pand his statement Of Monday that
the government reserved freedom
OF action" if Iraqi troops should
enter Jordan. But he voiced graft
fication at the news that Jordan
had decided to keep the Iraqis
outside her borders for the present.
The Premier openly defended his
cabinets policy of ordering reprisal
raids for every Jordan border in
cident. calling the attacks a matter
OF self defense" He received,
after stormy. name-calling ses-
sion, heavy vote of confidence. 70
to 10, with members of the oppose
ton joining the Premier's Ave-
party coalition in his support.
Debote in the U. N.
Full-scale debate in the United
Nations Security Council opened
Friday on the Palestine crisis. Jor-
dams original complaint, charging
lnprovoked aggression and demand
ing penalties, quickly won the sup
port of Britain and the Soviet
Union.
Israels acting delegate. Mordecai
r. Kidron. protested to the Council
that the Israeli attacks we're de-
fensive in character and we're un-