64. Editorial Note
On April 4, the Representative of Israel submitted to the Security Council a complaint alleging that Egypt had launched repeated attacks against Israel, including 1) the armed assault at Pattish on March 24; 2) repeated attacks by mining and gunfire on Israeli army units patrolling the Egypt–Israel border at the Gaza Strip between March 26 and April 3; 3) the attack on an Israeli army patrol and on the village of Nahal Oz on April 3. (U.N. doc. S/3385) On April 6, the Security Council met, heard statements by the Israeli and Egyptian representatives, and adjourned pending receipt of the findings of the Mixed Armistice Commission. (U.N. doc.S/PV.697)
On April 14, Major General E.L.M. Bums, Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, reported to the Security Council that the most important factor contributing to increased tension following the action at Gaza had been the mining of tracks used by Israeli army vehicles. To reduce these incidents and improve the situation in the Gaza area, Bums urged the immediate institution of joint patrols. Egypt had notified him of its willingness in principle to establish such patrols, but he had not received a final reply from the Israeli authorities. Both sides, he reported, were prepared to effect a local commanders’ agreement and had given verbal assurances that they were employing only regular army and police personnel along the demarcation line. The Israeli authorities favored the erection of obstacles to help prevent infiltration, and the Egyptian authorities, while seeing difficulties in connection with that [Page 135] proposal, were prepared to consider ways and means of carrying it out. Lastly,Burns reported that, at Egyptian request, he was posting additional United Nations Military Observers on the Egyptian side of the demarcation line. (U.N. doc. S/3390 and Add. 1)
On April 18, the Egyptian Representative informed the Security Council that Egyptian military authorities would soon begin construction of barbed wire fences within Egyptian-controlled territory along the line running through certain essential positions on the demarcation line. (U.N. doc. S/3393) On April 19, after a brief discussion by the Council, the President of the Council observed that the majority apparently saw no need for any new action, since the possible measures to avert incidents in the area of the demarcation line had been fully covered in the Council’s resolutions of March 29 and 30. (U.N. doc.S/PV. 698)