Israel Will Seek to Preserve Balance of Power: Notes Egypt’s Rockets

Israel will do everything possible to preserve the balance of military power, Deputy Defense Minister Shimon Peres declared yesterday in discussing the Egyptian acquisition of military rockets.

He said in an interview on Kol Israel, Israel’s radio station, that Israel must neither underestimate nor exaggerate the importance of Egyptian rocketry. He stressed Israel “does not at all intend to underestimate this Egyptian effort just as we are not inclined to forget that Egypt is constantly working toward implementation of its aggressive intentions against Israel.”

The official added that the balance of power was only a function of the political balance and that in discussing types of arms, it was necessary to remember that the “real menace” lies in the nature of policy of a particular country. Egypt, he said, was the only instance of a country openly threatening aggression against Israel “and it is to frustrate this policy that we shall do everything possible to preserve the balance of power.”