Tension along the Suez Canal, with Israeli and Egyptian troops facing each other from opposite banks, is lower than it has ever been, according to news reports on the fourth anniversary of the June War. Peace, however, still looks remote, said the same reports. A year ago, the anniversary was marked by aircraft bombing and artillery duels.

This film shows the Suez Canal from the Egyptian bank, and the commentary summarises the situation as it is four years after the war which changed the course of Middle East history.

SYNOPSIS: Tension along the Suez Canal, with Israeli and Egyptian troops stationed on opposite banks, is lower than ever before, according to reports on the fourth anniversary of the June War. But peace, say the same reports, is still remote. Anniversary precautions taken by the Israelis include what officials describe as 'only normal measures' against guerrilla attacks.

Today's precautions are less stringent than last year, when Israeli troop reinforcements were rushed into the occupied territories; army leave was cancelled; and dozens of Arabs taken into custody following calls from guerrillas for strikes and demonstrations. This scene, filmed on Friday, is in stark contrast to the same scene a year ago - when Israeli jet air-craft bombed Egyptian positions for 14 hours and a fierce artillery duel raged across the Canal.

Now, however, the emphasis seems to be in the political field rather than the battle field, although the scars of former clashes remain. Israel's ambassador to the United States has called for American support in the event of a Soviet attack; Egypt has complained to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Governments that continued United States support for Israel is blocking peace moves; and Egypt and the Soviet Union recently signed a 15-year friendship treaty. But, for the moment, it is still only a war of words.