Israel’s profound concern over West Germany’s intention to sell sophisticated weaponry to Arab countries still in a state of war with Israel, was stressed by Defense Minister Moshe Arens in his address to the Zionist General Council meeting here today.
The pending arms deal between Bonn and Saudi Arabia is “a source of great concern to us,” Arens said. It includes “very advanced arms” such as West Germany’s Leopard Mark II tank, considered by military experts to be the best in the world, armored personnel carriers and anti-aircraft systems, Arens said.
“We are definitely and completely opposed to this,” Arens said. He called on American Jewry to “demonstrate our opposition and your opposition.” He maintained that it was “inconceivable that Germany should contemplate selling arms to a country avowedly at war with Israel.
The arms sales issue is expected to figure high on the agenda of Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s talks with Premier Yitzhak Shamir and other Israeli officials when the West German leader visits Israel later this month. Bonn has made no secret of its intentions to sell arms to Saudi Arabia but German sources have said privately that the Leopard tank is not included.
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