Israelis used outlawed bombs—U.S.
NZPA Washington Israeli military forces used deadly Americanmade anti-personnel cluster bombs in their invasion of southern Lebanon in violation of both United States arms control law and previously agreed restrictions, the State Department said.
“We have confirmed that Israel used cluster bomb units, supplied by the United States, in southern Lebanon.” a department spokesman, Mr Charles Shaniro, said. “Israel has told us they were used exclusively against military targets.” Mr Shapiro said the weapons, developed by the United States for use in Vietnam, were provided tinder the 1952 agreement with Israel that set forth restrictions in conformance with the Arms Export Control Act. Israel had violated those restrictions. he saio
“We are having discussions with the Israeli Government with a view to ensuring that those restrictions will be observed in the future.”
Mr Shapiro said the violation would not stop the United States continuing to supply arms to Israel.
An official estimated at least $4 billion in United States arms were at present in the pipeline for the Israelis. Under American arms control law. the Israelis were believed to have been restricted to using the devastating bombs only in the case of all-out war and against wellentrenched targets.
The bombs are normally a cluster of explosive units that spray shrapnel over a wide area.
American journalists first reported on March 20 that Israeli planes dropped cluster bombs on a Palestinian camp south of the coastal city of Tyre. The Secretary of State (Mr Cyrus Vance), in a letter to the House Sneaker (Mr Thomas O'Neill) on Wednesday, said a violation of the arms agreement with Israel may have occurred. Mr Shapiro quoted Mr Vance as saying in the better: “In these circumstances, including the ongoing efforts to restore mentum to the vital peace
negotiations, and Israel’s assurance that it intends to withdraw from Lebanon, I am not recommending to the President any further action."
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Press, 10 April 1978, Page 1
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318Israelis used outlawed bombs—U.S. Press, 10 April 1978, Page 1
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