- Title: GAZA: ISRAELIS DISCOVER ARMS NEAR DIR EL BALLAH ALLEGEDLY BROUGHT FROM LEBANON
- Date: 24th August 1969
- Summary: TROOPS SEARCHING BEACH; LEBANESE EMBLEM ON BOAT; POLICE WITH WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT ON TABLE; SWEETS IN PLASTIC BAG BEARING LEBANESE ADDRESS; AUTOMATIC PISTOL AND PICTURE OF MAO TSE-TUNG' TROOPS SEARCHING HOUSES; TROOPS ON GUARD IN STREET. Initials JH/VS/PW/SGM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 8th September 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DIR EL BALLAH, GAZA
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Reuters ID: LVANO4TE9KF57YZOKF3UGRCUZCD
- Story Text: POLICE IN GAZA TODAY (SUNDAY) DISPLAYED A COLLECTION OF WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT AND PROPAGANDA LITERATURE ALLEGEDLY FOUND IN A CACHE A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE DIR EL BALLAH REFUGEE CAMP IN GAZA. THE SUPPLIES WERE SAID TO HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED ON A BEACH, A SHORT DISTANCE FROM AN ABANDONED FISHING BOAT WITH A LEBANESE EMBLEM PAINTED ON IT. THE ISRAELIS CLAIM THAT THE WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT ORIGINATED FROM LEBANON.
THE POLICE CLAIM THAT TRACES OF FIVE MEN WERE FOUND LEADING FROM THE BOAT TO THE PLACE ON THE BEACH WHERE THE SUPPLIES WERE HIDDEN. THE ISRAELIS SAY THAT THE MEN ARRIVED DURING THE NIGHT DURING A CURFEW IMPOSED ON THE REFUGEE CAMP AS A RESULT OF DISTURBANCES QUELLED THERE ON SATURDAY (23 AUGUST). THE MEN, THE ISRAELIS ALLEGE, FLED THE SCENE UPON SEEING THE HEAVY SECURITY FORCE IN THE AREA AND BURIED THE SUPPLIES FOR A LATER PICK UP.
THE EQUIPMENT DISPLAYED INCLUDED BAZOOKA SHELLS, EXPLOSIVES AND TIMING DEVICES, GRENADES, SOVIET-BUILT, AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AS WELL AS A COPY OF A BOOK IN ARABIC BY CHAIRMAN MAO TSE-TUNG OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. ALSO INCLUDED IN THE SUPPLIES WERE SWEETS IN PLASTIC BAGS WITH LEBANESE ADDRESSES PRINTED UPON THEM.
AFTER THE SUPPLIES WERE DISCOVERED, ISRAELI TROOPS AND POLICE SEARCHED THE AREA. AN AIRCRAFT TOOK PART IN THE SEARCH. POLICE SAID THAT TODAY'S DISCOVERY WAS THE FIRST SUCH CACHE FOUND IN THE REGION.
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