Israel last night [Feb. 4] flatly rejected the ideas of President Nasser for a solution of the West Asia conflict as “a plan for liquidating Israel in two stages.” The first official reaction to President Nasser’s interview with ‘Newsweek’ magazine this week came in a statement from the Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr Abba Eban, who said: “The solution put forward by Nasser is this – first, Israel is to withdraw to the previous armistice lines with the Egyptian troops and Air Force reoccupying Sinai. Then, with Egyptian support, the so-called ‘resistance fighters’ will move to liberate their homeland.” Eban said the continued presence of Israel at Sharm el Sheikh, at the southern tip of Sinai, was necessary to ensure Israel free access to the sea. Mr. Eban said Israel would to be guarded against any further closure by President Nasser of the Straits of Tiran at the entrance of the Gulf of Aqaba which leads to the Israeli port of Eilat.
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/israel-rejects-nassers-plan/article26189056.ece