Israel Supreme Court Bans Publication of Petition Against Monopoly

The Supreme Court here today banned publication in Israel of a petition filed with the court last week, aimed at upsetting a planned monopoly to a British firm for the assembly and sale of Diesel trucks and buses in this country.

The court petition was filed by Jos Miller. Ltd., of Haifa, agent for one of two Swedish firms that have been selling the bulk of the heavy Diesel trucks and buses now used in Israel. Muller is the agent for Scania-Vabis, of Sweden, which has sold 170 Diesel trucks of 11 tons to 22 tons. The other firm which would be affected if the monopoly went into effect would be the Volvo firm of Sweden which has supplied 180 of the 500 heavy Diesel trucks sold in this country last year.

According to the complainant, the Israel Government has agreed to give a monopoly on the heavy Diesel vehicles to Leyland Motor Company, a British firm, which would set up an assembly plant in this country and would be protected against competition by the Swedish firms. All Diesel truck and bus imports would be banned for a three-year period, under the agreement with Leyland. After three years, import duties would be imposed to protect Leyland truck sales.

The Muller firm of Haifa wants the Israel Government to show cause why its planned monopoly should not be banned by the court. According to Muller, Scania-Vabis had also offered to build an assembly plant in Israel. Hugo Tamm, Swedish Ambassador here, has called on the Foreign Ministry to discuss the case at the request of the two Swedish firms. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the show cause application next week.