A meeting here last week between Israel’s Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Zvi Tzur and Britain’s Minister of Defense Denis Healey has given rise to speculation that Israel is seeking to buy new armaments in Britain. The military attache at the Israel Embassy here confirmed that Gen. Tzur had met with Mr. Healey and with a number of other British high officials. He refused to comment on reported arms purchases but said the conversations covered “a number of issues relating to the Middle East in general and Anglo-Israeli relations in particular.”
The London Times’ military correspondent said today that the Defense Ministry confirmed that the meeting took place. He noted that Israel is a “good customer” for British arms and, with the British Army replacing its Centurion tanks with Chieftans, there are many Centurions available for sale to Israel.
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