No formal embargo has been declared by the United States on munitions sales to Israel, it was indicated here today. Reliable sources emphasized that Israel’s applications filed some time ago for various categories of military materiel remain under consideration.
Favorable action has been delayed, however, for a number of factors, one of which is regional tension resulting from the Gaze clash for which Israel was blamed by the United Nations Mixed Armistice Commission. The United States maintains that it has a right to refuse or postpone the issuance of export permits for arms to countries that use such arms aggressively.
Highly placed government sources indicated today that no Egyptian applications for arms purchases in the United States have been delayed through failure of the United States Government to grant export licenses although similar licenses for Israel are temporarily held up. These sources said one of the factors in the failure of the State Department to act on current applications by Israel was the Gaza clash of February 28.
The arms sought by Israel are those obtained through normal purchase channels. No grant arms have been extended to Israel, although Israel applied for free arms over two years ago. Egypt recently was offered free arms, but turned down the offer because it would not agree to permit a U. S. military mission to come to Egypt to train Egyptian forces in the use of the weapons.
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