Arms From West For Israel And Jordan

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31464, 2 September 1967, Page 13

Arms From West For Israel And Jordan

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, September 1. The United States and Britain have decided to resume the sale of arms to Israel and Jordan, according to diplomatic sources quoted by United Press International.

The decision was prompted by the Soviet refusal to cooperate in a plan for a total embargo on arms shipments to the Middle East, the sources said. A U.P.I. correspondent, K. C. Thaler, wrote: Israel has already approached Britain and received approval for a shipment of tanks, the reports said. Britain was said to have agreed earlier to supply Jordan with a small number of fighter planes. The United States was reportedly agreeable to selling Jordan fighters. Indications were that both Britain and the United States would go slow In supplying arms to Israel and Jordan. The sources said only a limited range of military hard ware would be made available. The sources reported that the Kremlin has turned a deaf ear to repeated Western suggestions to prohibit a new arms build-up in the Middle East. As a result, Britain has lifted a temporary arms embargo it imposed at the time of the Arab-Israeli war in June. Under the latest arrangements Britain is to supply Israel with 18 Centurion -tanks. The shipment is the

last part of a lsraeli order for 40 tanks. Israel is also interested In more up-to-date Centurion tanks shown to Israeli experts before the war. Britain has also told Jordan it is prepared to sell four Hawker-Hunter jet fighters. Planes From U.S. The United States was said to be ready to supply Jordan with a large number of planes. King Hussein of Jordan has urged the West to supply him with planes and other wea-

pons. Otherwise, he said, he might be forced to turn to the Soviet Union for military aid. The Russians have shipped planes and tanks to Egypt and Syria to make good about half the losses suffered by the two countries during the war with Israel. Soviet arms are also being delivered under previous commitments to Algeria, Iraq and Somaliland, the sources said.