REFUGEES WITH LUGGAGE; BUS; WOMAN PAST WITH BAGGAGE ON HER HEAD; SCRANTON'S CAR TOWARDS AND STOPS; SCRANTON TALKING TO REPORTERS; CROWDS AROUND SCRANTON; CAR DOWN ROAD; BUS DRAWING IN TO CHECKPOINT.




Initials JH/VS/CT/SS



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Background: AMID A STEADY STREAM OF RETURNING REFUGEES FROM JORDAN TO THE WEST BANK OF THE JORDAN RIVER, MR. WILLIAM SCRANTON, PRESIDENT-ELECT RICHARD M. NIXON'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST, HINTED AT A NEW AMERICAN POLICY IN THE AREA. CROSSING OVER THE ALLENBY BRIDGE LAST NIGHT (MONDAY), MR. SCRANTON MADE THE STATEMENTS BEFORE AN IMPROMPTU PRESS CONFERENCE ASSEMBLED ON THE BRIDGE.

AS HE CROSSED THE BRIDGE, MR. SCRANTON TOLD NEWSMEN THAT THE UNITED STATES SHOULD NOT ESPOUSE ONE NATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST OVER ANOTHER AND SHOULD EXERCISE A MORE EVEN-HANDED POLICY IN THE REGION.

THE STATEMENT, MADE AFTER A TOUT OF ARAB CAPITALS, CAUSED DISMAY AMONG ISRAELIS AND SEEMED TO SUGGEST A CHANCE IN THE JOHNSON'S ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY OF SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL.

MR. SCRANTON WAS MET AT THE BRIDGE BY THE AMERICAN CONSUL, AN ISRAELI FOREIGN OFFICE REPRESENTATIVE AND ARMY PERSONNEL.

MR. SCRANTON, A FORMER GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA, LATER HAD A SEPARATE TALKS IN JERUSALEM WITH MR. ESHKOL, THE ISRAELI PRIME MINSTER AND MR. EBAN, THE FOREIGN MINISTER.

MANY OF THE REFUGEES CROSSING THE BRIDGE WERE DOING SO UNDER THE REUNION OF FAMILIES SCHEME, AND NOT UNDER THE PROGRAMME OF 7,000 PERMITS ISSUED BY ISRAEL LAST YEAR.

TRAFFIC ACROSS THE BRIDGE, FOLLOWING RECENT THREATS OF SABOTAGE AGAINST ISRAELI PERSONNEL, IS ALMOST A STANDSTILL AND VEHICLES MUST PASS THROUGH CHECKPOINTS TO REACH THE WEST BANK.