CZECHS SUPPLY BOMBS AND PLANES TO JEWS

Chronicle (Levin), 8 January 1949, Page 5

CZECHS SUPPLY BOMBS AND PLANES TO JEWS

LONDON, Jan. 6. Czeehoslovakian armament factories have been supplying the Jewish forces in Paiestine with iarge quantities o± aircraft, bombs and mu'nitions despite the United Nations embargo. The British Foreign Ofifice has given details and facts shqwing that between June and the middLe. of December the Jewish air foree was nearly trebled in 'streugth, and that w fleet of transport aircraft had been regularly i'errying cargoes from Uzechoslovakian arms factories to the Jewish forces, amounting to* about 80 tons weekly. During the truee period, according to the Foreign Ofiice, the Israeli air foree received 74 aircraft. The Israeli air foree now has at least 114 pianes. The nircruft. niost.lv tif/hters. came alrnosi

1 «/ o t entirely from the State-owned armament industry of Czechoslovakia. ETghter-pilot trainees have been sent from Paiestine for instruction on aircraft. Yolunteers from other qtiarters, mainly Jews from Czechoslovakia and Poland, but also including some Czechs, have been trained in Czechoslovakia as pilots and aircraft erews for service in Paiestine. Skoda technicians have also gone to Paiestine to assist in the militarisation of civilian aircraft and in other tasks. The Czech authoritie3 provided an airfield to serve as a main clearing house for aircraft acquired in various countries by bogus companies. Air-' craft ferrying arms into Israel used this airfield as the main European. teriuinus, but also refuelled at small airfields in Yugoslavia. Czechoslovak quarters refused to eomment • on the British Foreign Ofiice statement charging Czechoslo-

vakia with. supplying pianes and munitions to Israel, says the Associated Press Prague correspondent. who points out that there was no denial of the accusations. A British Foreign Ofiice spokesman said that the Jewish forces are still in Egvpt. He added that iniorination from British sources sliowed that a.lthougli the main body, which mv-aded Egvpt a weelt ago had withdrawn, a contingent had dug in five miles insidc Egyptian territorv across the mair. t'oad which goes south tlirough the desert from Beerslieba. These forces had built a strongpoint with barbed wire dei'ences and anti-tank guns. The sjiokesman said the information I indicated that the Jews were "digging

in. " An Egyptian source suggested that little faith could be placed in the Jewish statement., such as that made reeentJv from Tel Aviv, indicating_ that all Jewish troops would be withdrawn from Egypt. Reuter says that diplomatie quarters feel that this. news would make the British Government un willing to accept any Israeli undertaking to declare tlu cease-firc which did not also uiidcxtake a withdrawal to the original truee lines.