INDICATION OF RESTRAINT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 78, 12 January 1949, Page 3

INDICATION OF RESTRAINT

Britain and Israel SHOOTING DOWN OF PLANES (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright) LONDON, January 11. ■ “The indications are that Britain intends to handle with restraint the Jews’ provocative action in shooting down five British aircraft,” says the diplomatic correspondent of “The Times.” “There is also probably no desire by the British Government to complicate more than necessary the Security Council meetings, which, it is hoped, will see Britain and America co-operating in a more determined effort than the Council has made hitherto to end the Palestine conflict.

“The action Britain may eventually be required to take to protect her strategic and political interests in the Middle East will doubtless be decided in tfie light of the outcome of the armistice negotiations at Rhodes and the Security Council discussions. “Reports that Britain intends _to carry her protest against the shooting down of the Royal Air Force aeroplanes to the Security Council are not borne out in London.” “Britain is making active plans to meet with armed force if necessary any attempt by the Jews to invade Egypt or Transjordan,” says the political correspondent of the “Daily Express.” “The latest fighters, capable of outflying the Israeli Air Force, are to be sent to the Middle East. “The Cabinet’s Defence Committee .discussed moves yesterday. The full Cabinet meets to-morrow. Sir, Alexander Cadogan has been instructed to press before the United Nations Secuiity Council Britain’s demand for compensation for the shooting dffvtn of the five British aeroplanes.” The “Daily Telegraph” correspondent in Tel-Aviv says that an Israeli Government spokesman, announcing the withdrawal of Jewish troops from Egypt, admitted that the posts evacuated included some near Rafah, three miles inside Egypt. The Tel-Aviv correspondent _oi “The Times” says: “The Egyptian Government yesterday notified - the Acting United Nations mediator (Dr. Ralphe Bunche) that it would not participate in the Rhodes peace talks unless Israeli troops withdrew iioin heights commanding the Gaza road, from which the Egyptian Government yesterday informed Dr. Bundle that it will not withdraw.”

Jewish Charge Against Britain.

“The Israeli Government has decided to charge Britain at the next meeting of the Security Council with contravention of the Council’s resolution of May 29 last year,” says the TelAviv correspondent of “The Times. “The resolution called upon all the Governments concerned not. to introduce fighting personnel into Israel and the Arab States during the period of a cease-fire. “As evidence of tins charge, Israeli’s United Nations representative (Ibrem en lan) will adduce (1) the alleged aerial reconnaissance by Royal Air Force aircraft over the Negeb; and (2) what the Israeli Government describes as a hostile display on the Transjordan frontier.” The correspondent adds that although the charge has been completed and dispatched, the Israeli Government is not at present overconfident of its validity and weight, especially as United Nations observers in the Ababa area have so far failed to report any “display of British hostility.” . “The Times,” in a leading article, says: “It. is not the exact details of the shooting down of the British aeroplanes which cause anxiety and apprehension, but rather the possibility that Britain may have embarked upon a course in justified protection of her Middle East interests which may lead suddenly to hostilities with the Israeli forces.”’ “The Times” urges the British Government to exert every effort to avoid a further cleavage or conflict. It advoqates common afction between Britain and America aimed at a peaceful settlement in Palestine. “Nothing lias been of greater encouragement to extreme aggressive policies in Israel than the American Government’s inability to declare a firm policy and take a firm linecoupled as this disability Iras been which private comfort and aid from American citizens to Israeli ambitions,” says “The Times.” “The need is rather to fix upon the new State its duties and responsibilities and settle the limits which must be set to Israeli territory, call a halt to extravagant Ambitions, and accord Israel its important place, and no more, in the key Middle East region.” Mr Lie counselled tire representatives of Britain and Israel not to allow the situation caused by the air clash incident to prejudice the Palestine armistice talks in Rhodes. Mr Lie laid great emphasis on,the importance of leaving the Rhodes negotiations in an ntmsophere as untroubled as possible.

RUSSIA AND ISRAEL . ALIGNMENT THOUGHT IMPROBABLE LONDON, January 11. “Russia will obviously support the Israeli case before the Security Council, as it has consistently done in the past,” says the Tel-Aviv correspondent of “The Times.” “But there is no evidence of Russian military aid or political penetration in Israel at present, and there is little or no Russian influence in the country. “Israel’s two major political parties are Socialist, and although a kind of spiritual Communism is practised, it is the antithesis of anything propagated by the Kremlin philosophers.”

“There is an Israeli Communist Party, but at the last Jewish elections it received only 2 per cent, of the votes cast.

“It is difficult to see an Israeli alignment with Russia, even if the situation deteriorates further. As a tiny State with no political tradition, Israel will choose its allies, like its arms and supplies, wherever they can be found; but because of its peculiar links with America it will not be a choice between West and East.”