Concern Expressed over Planes for Egypt

Several Cabinet members have expressed concern over American plans to supply. Egypt with sophisticated weaponry, including F-16s and the even more advanced F-15 combat planes. Israel has kept a low profile on this matter so far and Defense Minister Ever Weizmann is counseling a measured reaction rather than hasty comments.

Informed sources told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Israel would soon launch a campaign to persuade Washington to moderate the supply of arms to Egypt in terms of quantity, quality and the pace of shipments. The sources conceded that Israel has to expect the U.S. to sell arms to Egypt in the wake of its peace treaty with Israel and the fact that it has been virtually cut off from the Soviet Union as a source of military supplies. However, they believe Israel can seek to influence the U.S. to reduce the quantity of weapons and extend their delivery over longer periods than presently planned.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Shmuel Tamir declared publicly yesterday that Israel has “the right and duty to make its voice heard” on the issue and hinted that Israel should ask the U.S. to provide it with additional arms to maintain the military balance. Tamir argued that Egypt is a new comer to the pro-Western camp and the U.S. should bear that in mind. Washington also must take into account Israel’s arms requirements to protect its eastern front and the statements sometimes made in Cairo envisaging possible Egyptian involvement, under certain circumstances, in a future Arab-Israeli war, Tamir said.