REITERATED CHARGES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 79, 13 January 1949, Page 5

REITERATED CHARGES

Israel’s View of Britain

COUNTER-CHARGES LEVELLED

(N.Z.P. A.—Copyright)

(Rec. 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 12. Israeli officials'at United Nations have warned their Government that Britain may be contemplating “direct action” against Israeli forces in the Negev, says the United Press correspondent at Lake Success. Israeli authorities apparently fear that statements made by the British Foreign Office indicate the possibility of direct action of the British to correct what they consider an unjust military situation in, strategic Negev says the

correspondent. It is also reported from Lake Success that United Nations officials do not plan- an immediate response to Israel’s request for a formal inquiry into British activities in the Middle East.

While Israeli representative (Aubrey Eban) publicly maintained to-day that. Israel Avanted action of the Security Council responsible diplomats reported that the JeAvs Avould not press for action until the IsraeliEgyptian talks on Rhodes regarding an armistice have progressed. The Secretary-General of United Nations (Mr Trygve, Lie) -said at Lake Success to-day that during receut talks Avitk the British and Israeli representatives lie liad offered his “good offices ’ to the two Governments for the exchange of letters dealing Avitli the present controversy. He said he had -io plans to consult further Avith the representatives of either Government at present and he would not disclose Avhat Avas said at the, talks. Mr Lie said the important thing now was negotiations on Rhodes for an armistice now taking place. When a reporter asked Mr Lie, “Don’t you believe it a dangerous situation when a great power like Britain masses warships, lands troops and conducts military political manoeuvres near Israeli territory.”

Mr Lie replied : “That will have to be answered by the Security Council.’’

Mr Lie said the new three-nation Palestine Conciliation Commission established by the General Assembly last month Avould Hold its first meeting at Geneva on Monday. The commission is supposed to Avork out a final Palestine p*eace settlement between Arabs and Jews, and Ultimately relieve the acting-mediator (Dr. Bunche) of liis duties. The three nations represented • are the United States, France and Turkey. In New York to-day the Communist Party called for mass picketing of the British consulate to-morrow to protest against Britain’s policy in Palestine. The New York State Committee of the Party asked for “a mass protest to demonstrate the anger of the American people against the continuous perfidy and betrayal of the Jewish State by Imperialism.” In London the Foreign Office spokesman denied Israel’s charges that Britain had supplied arms.to tHe Arab states in contravention of the Security Council’s embargo on arms and said tlie contravention of that embargo had been undertaken on a massive scale in the interests of Israel.

The spokesman said that lie had so i'ar seen no denial from the Israeli Government of the charges that aircraft and arms had been delivered from Czechoslovakia and other countries.

“If there is a threat to peace, that threat derives from the persistent violation of the Security Council’s truce by the Israeli authorities. I say that on the authority of the British Government and by virtue of verv precise information afforded to the* United Nations by the actingmediator in Palestine,”, said the official.

It was a matter for lively regret that other States had not .shared Britain’s view that the refusal of arms to the belligerents was the best way of restricting the conflict. Ninety per cent, of the arms supplied to the Israeli authorities had come from Eastern European sources and Czechoslovakia had supplied the greater part of them. American dollars, hut not United States Government dollars, had been used to buy them. In Washington State Department officials supported Britain’s charges that Czechoslovakia had permitted shipments of arms to Israel in violation of the United Nations’ resolutions. Officials said that'the United States informed the Czech Government last July that affidavits had been obtained*from Americans participating in illicit arms traffic. The United States asked that, shipments of arms be .stopped. State Department officials said that the Czech’s reply was “vague and circuitous.”