In Palestine and Rhodes the Acting Mediator and his staff are still making efforts to arrange for a peaceful transition from truce to armistice conditions between Israel and its Arab neighbours on the north and east. Although the situation remains difficult, progress has been made within the past week in negotiations between Israel and two of its neighbours, Lebanon and Transjordan, under the chairmanship of United Nations representatives.

While the negotiations have proceeded, Israeli forces have been establishing themselves in key positions along the eastern frontier from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba, facing Transjordan. On the Dead Sea coast, the northern half of which has been in Arab hands, Israelis announced on March 15 that they had taken over a position at Engedi, four miles north of the truce line established by the Acting Mediator on November 13. In the south, where no truce lines were established, clear warnings from the British allies of Transjordan appear to have prevented any serious violations of the frontier during the past week while Israeli forces were establishing positions near the Gulf of Aqaba, taking over the five-mile strip of Palestinian coast and establishing their lines of communication with the north. They are at no point closer than five miles to the Transjordanian port of Aqaba where a small token force of British troops is maintained.

On the southwestern frontier, between Palestine and Egypt, where no British force is maintained, the situation has apparently been different. Here it has been repeatedly stated that an Israeli force moving down to the Gulf of Aqaba from Beersheba crossed into Egyptian territory and made use of a 35-mile stretch of Egyptian road leading southward to the Gulf, thus violating the recent armistice agreement with Egypt. If these reports are confirmed by the United Nations truce observers it will be a matter for reference to the mixed Armistice Commission of six members which meets under the chairmanship of a United Nations representative in a demilitarized zone on the border between Egypt and Palestine.

On March 11, while the situation at the Gulf of Aqaba was causing anxiety in view of the close proximity of Israeli and Transjordanian forces, and the possible involvement of United Kingdom troops, a cease-fire agreement was signed at Rhodes representing the first step toward a negotiated settlement on Israel's eastern frontier. The agreement called for a general cease-fire, applicable to all elements of the military or para-military forces of Israel and Transjordan found in proximity to each other anywhere from a point near Lydda west of Jerusalem to the southern tip of Palestine. No element of the ground or air forces of either party is to advance beyond or pass over lines or positions now held by the foremost elements of its ground forces. Complete supervision of the truce by United Nations observers is to be allowed. Civilian movements across the truce line are not to occur except by mutual agreement.

Perhaps the most dangerous situation is that existing north of Lydda in a sector from which Iraqi forces are being withdrawn and replaced by Transjordian troops. Israeli forces have been concentrated in this sector for some weeks and the Israeli Foreign Minister has announced within the past week that occasional sniping in the area by Palestinian Arabs may lead his government to order an advance. The withdrawal of Iraqi forces began after Iraq announced that it would consider itself bound by any agreement with the Israelis reached by other Arab states.

The talks between Israel and Lebanon have not come to an end yet because of continuing differences as to the location of the proposed armistice line, but agreement is expected soon.