The New York Times · 5 May 1970

CP-1970-021

ISRAELIS REPORT KILLING 21 ARABS

Toll in Guerrilla Battle at Jordan River Is Termed Largest Since ’67 War

By RICHARD EDER

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Transcribed from the clipping

JERUSALEM, May 4—Israeli military authorities announced today that an Israeli patrol surprised and killed 21 armed Palestinian infiltrators shortly after they crossed the Jordan River into Israeli-controlled territory last night.

At the same time the Israelis reported some tentative signs that intensive air strikes on Egyptian artillery positions west of the Suez Canal were beginning to ease the recent pressure on Israeli troops on the east bank.

Last night’s encounter with the guerrillas involved the largest death toll reported by Israeli forces since the start of the struggle with Arabs infiltrating into territories occupied by Israel after the 1967 war.

According to the account provided by Israeli military authorities, the infiltrators, members of Al Fatah guerrilla organization, were pinned down by fire from the Israeli patrol just before midnight, not far from the banks of the Jordan River. The infiltrators tried to take shelter in scrub and thornbushes, the account continued.

Apart from firing one bazooka shot, it went on, they made no move to answer the Israeli fire, which went on heavily but intermittently all night and which, by sunup, had killed all but six of them.

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