Fighting broke out today on all Israel╒s borders with its Arab neighbours. Official Israeli statements said that attacks had been launched in the area of the Negev, in Jerusalem, and along the Syrian border near Dagania.
Israel also claimed that bombing attacks had been carried out by Syrian planes in the region of Haifa Bay and Megiddo and by Jordanian aircraft in other regions. It also said that the Jordanians had entered the United Nations High Commissioner╒s residence in Jerusalem and tried to advance towards Israeli positions. ╥Our forces are taking action against it.╙
According to an Israeli statement this morning, the first attacks started along the border with Egypt. Aircraft were detected coming in towards Israel and simultaneously Egyptian armour was found to be on the move. Israel immediately counter-attacked with armour, artillery, and aircraft.
One of the settlements which were under fire was Nahal Oz. When we got there this afternoon it seemed peaceful enough, though there was a steady crunch of mortar and field gunfire from the direction of Gaza only three or four miles away. According to the officer in charge on the spot the Israelis were in occupation of the town of Khan Yunis at the southern end of the Gaza Strip and had thus isolated Gaza town from the rest of Egypt. The forces opposing Israel there are thought to be units of the Palestine Liberation Organisation ╥stiffened╙ by Egyptian regular forces.
The attack started at about eight o╒clock when the settlement was fired on by a combination of 25lb. guns and 120 and 82mm. mortars. As we worked our way to a forward machine gun post from which the spires of Gaza are visible there were mortar craters dotting the pathway, and two fields of wheat were burned out by fires caused by the shelling.
At the first alert all non-combatants were evacuated to shelters and there had been no civilian casualties up to the time we left. About twenty cows had died in a farmyard, however. For all the evidence of military activity farmwork was still going on though tractor drivers were equipped with tin hats. Actual damage to buildings was not great, though ╥Alex,╙ the only name by which we are allowed to identify the military commander, said it was noticeable that the fire had been directed at the settlement and not towards Israeli forward positions.
As he spoke to us a sharp crack of mortar fire rang across the valley separating the Kibbutz from Gaza proper. Occasionally the lower thunder of heavy artillery and spurts of smoke and sand would leap up on the skyline about two miles away. Gaza is dominated by a hill which is a strategic key to the area and it appeared that this was under attack.
Contented doves
Firing had ceased altogether before we finally drove from the area. Though there were signs of considerable aerial activity on the way down, there was no actual combat to be seen nor were aircraft visible over the battle area. It was, of course, quite impossible to judge the size of the operation. The only certain thing about it was that it was taking place on Egyptian soil.
Driving northwards again it was difficult to believe that fighting was taking place so near as doves pecked contentedly by the deserted roadside and no untoward sound broke the calm air. From time to time we had to pull off to the side of the single track road and let big lorries get through or give way to a private car going south with the headlights blazing.
General Dayan the Israeli Defence Minister, told his troops today that the ╥surprise attack╙ by Egyptian forces ╥is an onslaught on us.╙ ╥At this hour we have no reports of the progress of the fighting,╙ he said. ╥The enemy is fighting with all it has. Their land forces have attacked our settlements. The Egyptian fire is upon us. But be calm, boys. We have no conquests to make. We shall only defend ourselves.╙
In a broadcast to the people, the Prime Minister, Mr Eshkol, said ╥I fervently hope that peace-loving nations and States will not stand by but will understand the right of Israel to live its life without the sword of aggression hanging over its head.╙ He also said that Israel would not attack any country that did not attack her.
