Israel Concerned About Transfer of Mirage Jets to Egypt

Foreign Minister Abba Eban met with the French Ambassador Francis Hure today to express Israel’s concern over the reported transfer to Egypt of Mirage jet fighters sold by France to Libya. Similar representations had been made to the French Foreign Ministry last week by the Israeli Ambassador in Paris, Asher Ben Natan.

The French response has been that they have no information to corroborate the Israeli reports but would check, officials here said. Israeli circles say that they have confirmed the presence in Egypt of a squadron of Libyan Mirages and another squadron of Iraqi Hunters, a British-built aircraft.

They state that there are presently about 40 non-Egyptian combat planes stationed in Egypt. The circles assert that while France specifically prohibited the transfer of the Mirages it sold to Libya, French authorities “closed their eyes” in this ease and refuse to acknowledge that Egyptian pilots are now training to fly the Mirages. Israeli sources note the French response to date was evasive and that French authorities could easily confirm the where abouts of the jets it sold Libya.

The Israeli Chief of Staff, Gen. David Elazar, said at a press luncheon last week that Israel had warned from the start that the Mirages sold to Libya were destined for Egypt. He said the Libyan pilots who trained in France to fly them were actually Egyptians with Libyan passports and asserted that the presence of Libyan and Iraqi squadrons in Egypt would have a certain affect on the regional balance of power.

Elazar added, however, that without underestimating the effects, “we are able to fight the Egyptian Air Force regardless of these re-enforcements.” He warned that should the number of foreign planes in Egypt increase, Cairo might be tempted to renew hostilities against Israel.