TANKS ARRIVE; TROOPS; GUNS IN POSITION; JET FIGHTER FLIES OVER; HELICOPTER PAST; TROOPS AND WEAPONS.




Initials RM/VS/BHH/OS


EDITORS: SEE ALSO PROD. NO. 4884/67 (SOF) "UK: FOREIGN MINISTER GEORGE BROWN INTERVIEWED ON MIDDLE EAST SITUATION" SERVICED TODAY (MONDAY 22 MAY 1967).

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Background: AS TENSION BETWEEN THE ARAB COUNTRIES AND ISRAEL MOUNTED EVEN HIGHER TONIGHT (MONDAY) WITH NEW RESTRICTIONS ON ISRAEL'S SOUTHERN OUTLET TO THE SEA, AND AS NEW APPEALS WERE MADE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CALLING FOR THE RETURN OF A UNITED NATIONS PEACE-KEEPING FORCE TO THE CONFRONTATION AREA, ISRAEL IS CONTINUING ITS BUILD-UP OF RESERVIST FORCES IN THE AREA. FILM JUST RECEIVED FROM THE SINAI BORDER SHOWS MEMBERS OF A RESERVE ARMOURED UNIT TAKING UP POSITIONS YESTERDAY WITH TANKS AND ARTILLERY AS PLANES AND HELICOPTERS OF THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE KEPT UP CONSTANT PATROLS OVERHEAD.

ISRAELI FORCES AND THOSE OF THE UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC ARE NOW FACING EACH OTHER IN PLACES ONLY 200 YARDS APART. THIS FOLLOWS THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS PEACE KEEPING FORCE, AS REQUESTED BY THE U.A.R. IN THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY TONIGHT, BRITAIN CALLED FOR NEW MEANS TO IMPLEMENT THE U.N. PEACEKEEPING ROLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. U. THANT, THE U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL, LEFT TONIGHT FOR CAIRO, WHERE HE'LL MEET PRESIDENT NASSER OF THE U.A.R. ON A PEACE MISSION.

PRESIDENT NASSER ANNOUNCED IN CAIRO TODAY THAT THE UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC HAD DECIDED TO CLOSE THE GULF OF AQABA, ISRAEL'S SOUTHERN OUTLET TO THE SEA, TO ALL SHIPS FLYING ISRAELI FLAGS OR CARRYING STRATEGIC MATERIALS. HE SAID ALL SUCH SHIPS WOULD BE FORBIDDEN TO PASS SHARM EL SHEIKH AT THE MOUTH OF THE GULF AND ADDED: "WE ARE OW FACE TO FACE WITH ISRAEL, AND IF THEY WANT TO TRY THEIR LUCK WITHOUT BRITAIN AND FRANCE, WE AWAIT THEM."