FROM OUR ARCHIVES

50 YEARS AGO

On May 17, 1967, The Jerusalem Post reported from Cairo that Egypt had served notice that it would attack Israel if the latter tried to topple the Damascus regime. The warning, through formal diplomatic channels, came a few hours after Egyptian armed forces went on a war footing at 6 a.m. Large-scale troop movements were reported in the Suez Canal area and Sinai Peninsula throughout the day, as Egypt went on with its biggest build-up of armed forces since the Suez hostilities. Syria announced that there was movement of its troops towards the border.

A five-man gang of saboteurs, coming from Jordanian territory, dynamited a telephone pole near Amatzia, in the Lachish area. Another gang dynamited a house on the outskirts of that village. The house was damaged, but there were no casualties.

The US was “deeply concerned” about the escalation of Middle East tensions and announced that it was active “diplomatically” in urging restraint among all nations involved. US State Department press officer Robert McCloskey stated that there was a “cause for concern” about the overall Middle East situation.

25 YEARS AGO

On May 17, 1992, The Jerusalem Post reported that a higher-than-expected April 1992 consumer price index was fueling fears that the economy might be headed again towards spiraling annual inflation.

In Washington, a Bush Administration official claimed that the issue of the US support for UN Resolution 194, which endorsed the Palestinian “right of return,” had been really blown out of all proportion. But Zalman Shoval, Israel’s ambassador, said Arabs might interpret the US position, which was reaffirmed by the State Department’s spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler, as supporting Arab claims.

Escaped terrorist murderer Jamil Baz was recaptured by a policemen and a Civil Guard volunteer.

The 1992 Israel Festival, Jerusalem, got off to a rousing start.

10 YEARS AGO

On May 17, 2007, The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel would respond in a “harsh and severe” manner to the ongoing Kassam attacks on Sderot, prime minister Ehud Olmert told the press. The IDF would henceforth target terror chiefs and enemy rocket squads.

Following another day of fierce fighting in Gaza, Hamas and Fatah leaders agreed on a new cease-fire. But the fighting continued. At least 20 Palestinians were killed and 35 wounded in clashes between the warring Palestinian groups.

The Sderot Municipality prepared a temporary evacuation of some 4,000 residents after Palestinians fired some 50 rockets into the area around the Gaza border in 24 hours. There were two wounded. Olmert was considering further action as factional violence raged on in Gaza.

Teachers continued their strike over the “dragging out” of negotiations on a new wage agreement.

— Alexander Zvielli