CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/04/13

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02995598
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: April 13, 1956

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103
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS
1, DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
AUTH; HB 0
DAT
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
1. TERRORIST ACTIVITY IN ISRAEL CONTINUES
(page 3).
2. USSR MAKES BROAD OFFER OF ECONOMIC AID TO
TURKS page 4).
3. ITALIAN OFFICIALS SAY USSR MIGHT SOON OFFER
ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO ITALY
(page 5).
4. USSR REPORTED REAFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR ARABS
IN UN :page 6).
13 Apr 56
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 7)
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
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1. TERRORIST ACTIVITY IN ISRAEL CONTINUES
"commandos" based in Syria
were still operating inside Israel,
since they had left before the order
halt operations was received.
order
sabotage targets
around the port of Haifa and against
the Haifa-Tel Aviv railway line, as well as raids on vil-
lages.
13 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
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2. USSR MAKES .BROAD OFFER OF ECONOMIC AID
TO TURKS
Turkish foreign minister Koprulu con-
firmed to the American embassy on
11 April that the Soviet commercial
attach�ad stated that the USSR is will-
ing to be more generous with economic aid and technical
assistance for Turkey than for India, Burma or Afghanistan.
The Soviet attach�nvited the president of the Turkish Cham-
ber of Commerce and his friends to come to the USSR and
see for themselves what the Soviet Union could do.
American officials in Ankara believe
Turkey's desperate financial condition, which has brought
popular and parliamentary pressure on the government,
may force Koprulu and Prime Minister Menderes to accept
Soviet economic assistance. The embassy feels that Menderes
may remember Ataturk's acceptance of Soviet aid and feel that
he, Menderes, also can "sup with the devil without losing his
soul."
Comment
Moscow appears confident that Turkish
ties with the West can be weakened by ex-
ploiting Turkey's economic need.
Some Turkish officials have expressed
frustration and disillusionment over the limitations of United
States aid to Turkey in contrast to the aid going to the "neu-
tralist" powers. Ankara has been increasingly concerned over
popular reaction to the Soviet propaganda campaign in Turkey,
which it describes as "brilliant."
13 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
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3. ITALIAN OFFICIALS SAY USSR MIGHT SOON OFFER
ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO ITALY
Alberto Rossi Longhi, secretary gen-
eral of the Italian Foreign Ministry,
told Ambassador Luce on 10 April that
the USSR might soon offer economic
assistance to Italy which the Italians might find hard to re-
fuse. The head of the Christian Democratic Party, Amintore
Fanfani, told the ambassador he and President Gronchi felt
that if the World Bank fails to extend loans to Italian land
reform agencies, the Russians will make a loan offer.
Comment Gronchi's interest in securing financial
aid is centered on his ambitions with re-
gard to Italy's land reform program. The Italian Foreign
Ministry has never confirmed or denied rumors that Soviet
ambassador Bogomolov offered economic assistance in con-
versations in January with Premier Segni and President
Gronchi. (Concurred in by ORR)
13 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 5
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Ne_
4, USSR REPORTED REAFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR ARABS
IN UN
he Soviet minister in Lebanon is re-
orted to have told the Lebanese foreign
mister on 9 April that the USSR will
ack Arab demands vis-a-vis the Israelis
nd will not accept any proposals Secre-
ary General Hammarskjold may make if
hey are contrary to Arab wishes.
lthough the Soviet Union has taken an
ition in the dispute, it has directed its
criticisms primarily at the Western powers rather than
Israel.
Moscow has maintained that the tripartite
powers intend to send troops into the area to force a settle-
ment without the participation of the Arabs and the USSR.
the USSR will oppose strongly any use
of Western military force in the Near East;
Moscow continues to insist that the correct
place for finding a solution to the problem is in the Security
Council, and it is probably in this body that Moscow would op-
pose any Western move that did not meet with Arab approval.
13 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
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A
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 12 April)
UN secretary general Hammarskjold re-
ported to the Security Council on 12 April that both Israel and
Egypt have agreed to comply with Article II of the General
Armistice Agreement, which bars warlike or hostile acts. How-
ever, both reserved their right to act in self-defense. (Press)
Israeli officials, when notified of Egyptian
prime minister Nasr's agreement, stated that Nases assurances
were "utterly worthless and false," as Arab terrorist activities
were continuizg in Israel at that very moment.
The American army attache in Tel Aviv
reported that as of early 12 April there were preliminary indi-
cations of a "heavy" Israeli mobilization. Jordan also has moved
all Arab Legion combat units into West Jordan except for a regi-
ment or two.
The Arab Legion announced on 11 April that
Jordan was not harboring Egyptian terrorist raiders and is taking
13 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7
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every mea!sui to prevent their activity within Israel. Accord-
ing to the Britis am assador in Amman, the Legion has detained
several terrorists who had escaped into Jordan after marauding
activities in Israel. A later repor states that a group of terror-
ists was flown Jpackito Cairo fronlJor
The tour soviet-type mine crart wmcn ieit
the Baltic on 28 March accompanied by a Polish merchant ship
arrived in Alexandria Egypt,. on 10 April.
13 Apr 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin
Page 8
TOP SECRET
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