Officials here are tight-lipped about ongoing U.S.-Israel contacts regarding planned American arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The official admitted that these contacts are taking place following Foreign Minister Abba Eban’s formal expression of deep concern during his Knesset speech Monday. But they would not say what Israel was asking for: whether for more arms for itself or for a last-minute change of mind in Washington or at least a slow down in the planned timetable of arms deliveries to the Arab states.
Observers pointed out that the Saudis have recently negotiated arms deals on a huge scale with the U.S., France and Britain. The type of weaponry is more sophisticated than anything in the Arab arsenals until now and their use against Israel would constitute a real change in the military power balance, the observers said.
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