President Nasser announced yesterday that Egypt would not allow the clearing of the Suez Canal ╥as long as there is a single foreign soldier left on Egyptian soil.╙ Nor would she accept any condition infringing her sovereignty. ╥We shall fight in defence of the homeland,╙ he said.
In New York it was reported that advance units of the United Nations force for Egypt will be flown to a temporary staging area in Italy ╥probably within 24 hours.╙ The force, for which more than a dozen countries have offered troops, and for which more than 5,000 men have already been promised, is expected to be in Egypt ╥in strength╙ within ten days.
Mr. Hammarskjold said the first units would be rather small, but ╥appropriately armed,╙ and would come from Denmark and Norway. Other advance units from Canada, Colombia, Finland, India, and Sweden would follow them ╤ a day later. American planes were being used to take the units to Italy, but Swissair would be asked for DC-6 aircraft to carry them on the last leg of their journey into Egypt.
SOVEREIGNTY STILL INVIOLABLE
The Egyptians Would ╥Fight On╙
Cairo
President Nasser, contending that ╥free people everywhere╙ were now behind him, said to-day that Egypt would accept no condition infringing her sovereignty or honour.
The Egyptians would fight to the last man to preserve their rights.
Addressing the congregation of the Islamic University of Azhar after prayers, he said: ╥We have been betrayed once and shall not allow ourselves to be taken by surprise again. Egypt wants peace but will not surrender.╙
He gave a day-by-day account of the battle in the Sinai peninsula and the Anglo-French air and land action aimed ╥at the destruction of our main forces.╙
╥Arab nationalism,╙ he said, ╥was a power to-day as proved by offers of help from King Saud, King Hussein of Jordan, and President Shukri el Kuwatly of Syria. Arab nationalism had co-operated with the Egyptians everywhere against imperialism. The Arabs had emerged from the events of the past ten days ╥united, strong and determined.╙
