Israel has apparently concluded that the French Government will not release its 50 embargoed Mirage supersonic jets in the near future and has withdrawn all of its air crews and maintenance personnel that have been standing by the planes, it was learned today. The air crews left France six months ago and the maintenance men were withdrawn about six weeks ago.
The planes themselves have been transferred from two bases at Istres and Bordeaux-Merignac in southern and western France to Chateau dun, a huge central France air base, where they are now being maintained by French Air Force crews and mechanics of the Dassault company which manufactured the Mirages. The French authorities apparently believe that surveillance of the planes will be easier at the inland base. The French have tightened surveillance since Israel took over five embargoed gunboats at Cherbourg on Christmas day and sailed them to Haifa. It was learned that French Air Force planes shadowed the gunboats during part of their voyage across the Mediterranean but made no attempt to stop them.
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