What Next in Egypt? -
Far from complying with the Security Council's resolution calling for an end of the blockade on shipping bound for Israel through the Suez Canal, the Egyptian Government has secured the support .of the Arab League for an intensification of the blockade. Hatred of Israel now expresses itself in a determina- tion to prevent her from getting oil supplies from any direction whatever. Turkey is condemned for voting for the Security Council resolution when, according to the Egyptians, the Turkish duty was to support the view of the Arab countries. British policy which, according to Mr. Morrison, aims at a friendly understanding with Egypt over the future of the 1936 treaty, is now further than ever from success, for the United Nations resolution on the Suez blockade is regarded by the Egyptians as a British invention. The chances that Egypt will repudiate the treaty before September 17th, when the Egyptian Parliament rises, have increased. In fact, the Egyptian Govern- ment insists on being utterly unrealistic, unto-operative, and indifferent to the damage which is being done to the interests of the Middle East. There is not the slightest hope that this situation will be altered by any immediate action to secure com- pliance with the Security Council's resolution. If the Egyptian Government is determined to behave foolishly then it cannot be prevented from doing so. If the Arab States insist that they are at war with Israel then it will be difficult to prevent them from making warlike gestures, even if those gestures have not the slightest effect of bringing the " war " to a conclusion. But the United Nations policy has been stated, and it must not be changed. If Egypt cannot be brought to reason quickly then it must be subjected to the continuous and unrelenting pressure which in the end will compel respect for the rule of law. '
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