Ben Gurion Reports to Knesset on the Plane Forced Down in Algeria

There is no doubt in the minds of French Government officials that the B-17 forced down with an arms cargo at Bone, Algeria, was en route from Israel to a Latin American state, Premier David Ben Gurion told the Israel Parliament today.

Although he was replying to a direct question posed yesterday by a Herut deputy, the Premier was actually attempting to assuage concern and criticism in Israel that the government’s handling of the B-17 incident had resulted in damage to its relations with France and had given anti-Semitic elements in France an opportunity to press anti-Israel sentiments.

The Premier also expressed the hope and the belief that the French public would understand and accept the fact that the plane was over Algeria only in transit and that its arms cargo was meant for a friendly power in Latin America–but not Venezuela as had been reported.

Despite this acknowledgment by the French Government, he said, the arms cargo might not be released because the French, under the pressure of the Algerian rebellion, had ruled that all arms found in transit in that country would be seized. Paris might not want to establish a new precedent by releasing the bazookas, mortars and submachine guns in the cargo, Mr. Ben Gurion said.

SAYS PLANE AND ARMS WERE SOLD BY DEFENSE MINISTRY AS OBSOLETE

“In order to make the matter perfectly clear,” said the Premier, “I shall give all the relevant details.” He recounted that on February 23, the B-17 left Lydda airport en route for South America carrying arms without ammunition. The arms had been released for sale by the Ministry of Defense as obsolete–as was the plane, a type of bomber widely used by the U.S. Air Corps in World War II.

The plane was transferred to American ownership and its wings were marked in accordance, the Premier revealed. It was flown by a civilian crew engaged in Israel for the trip. En route to South America it was scheduled to stop over at the civilian airports at Algiers and Dakar, and the usual modifications to this effect were transmitted to the airports.

In the neighborhood of Bone, Mr. Ben Gurion continued, the plane developed engine trouble and requested permission to land at Bone. This was granted. At the request of the crew, a plane carrying six technicians and a spare engine were subsequently flown to Bone from the Bedek maintenance plant at Lydda, Mr. Ben Gurion explained.

“It is natural” the Premier continued, “that the sudden landing in Algeria surprised the Algerian authorities, but our own authorized representatives immediately informed the French Government of the identity and purpose of the aircraft. Members of the French Government were in no doubt of the fact that the aircraft was destined for a Latin American country and had come to Algeria only as a transit country and had landed at Bone as a result of engine trouble.”

He added: “It may be that though not only we but the French Government have no doubts in the matter, the Algerian authorities may not permit the plane to reach its destination to avoid a precedent. But even in that case there will be no doubt in the minds of the French Government–and I hope and believe in the minds of the French public–that the aircraft and arms were being sent across the Atlantic to a Latin American state. I am confident,” he stressed, “that any attempt to disturb relations between ourselves and France as a result of this mishap will not succeed.”