The French Foreign Office denied this weekend Italian reports that French Mystere jet planes were en route to Israel, but authorized French sources meanwhile revealed that an undisclosed number of French “Ouragon” fighter planes have been sold to Israel.
It was considered possible that the “Ouragon” planes were mistaken for Mysteres at Rom. The “Ouragon” is outclassed by the Mystere and is considerably behind the MIG 15 Soviet jets provided to Egypt. The top speed of the “Ouragon” is 550 miles per hour The French manufactured 350 and are now discarding them in favor of the Mystere.
Astonishment at the position taken by France with the resumption of arms shipments to Egypt was expressed here by a member of the National Assembly’s foreign affairs committee when Foreign Minister Antoine Pinay appeared before that body. The deputy, Arthur Comte of Perpignan, said that he regretted the resumption of arms delivery. M. Pinay replied that the delivery of arms to Israel had not been stopped and that arms were continuing to flow from France to both sides.
Increased sympathy for Israel’s situation is being expressed in parliamentary circles here, in the face of the resumption of French arms shipments to Egypt. A non-Jewish Radical Party deputy has formed a France-Israel association, on his own initiative. The association is circulating a petition asking for aid to Israel.
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