DIRECT ACTION MAY BE USED

Chronicle (Levin), 13 January 1949, Page 5

DIRECT ACTION MAY BE USED

(N.Z.P.A.-

— Reuter

Britain Contemplating Possibility Israeli Officials At U.N. Waraed V • |

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Received Thursday, 11.35 a.m. LONDON, January 12. Israeli officials at the United Nations have been warned by their Government that Britain may be contemplating "direct action" against the Israeli forces in the Negev, says the United Press' Lake Success correspondent. The Israeli authorities apparently fear that the statements made by the British Foreign Office indicate the possibility of- ^ direct British action to correct what the British consider is an military situation in the strategic Negev, the correspondent says.

It is also reported from Lake Success that United Nations officials do not plan an'immediate response to Israel's request for a formal inquiry into British activities in the Middie East. While the Israeli representative, Mr. Aubrey Eban, publicly maintained today that Israeli wanted early Security Council action, responsible diplomats reported that the Jews would not press for action until the IsraeliEgyptian armistice talks have progressed on Rhodes Jsland. The United Nations secretarygeneral, Mr. 'Trygve Lie, said at Lake Success todav that during recent talks with British and Israeli representatives he had offered his "goocl offices" to the two Govern•ments for an exchange of letters dealing with the present controversy. He said that he had no plans to consult further with representatives of either Government at present, and would not disclose what was said at the talks. Mr. Lie said the important thing now was the armistice negotiations on Rhodes. Mr. Lie said that the new threenation Palestine Conciliation Commission established by the General Assembly last month wouid hold its first meeting on January 17 at Gcneva. The commission was supposed to : work out the final Palestine peace [ settlement between the Arabs and [ Jews, and ultimately relieve the ; acting mediator, Dr. Ralph Bunche, | oi' his duties. The three nations.) rejDresented are the United States, ! France and Turkey. In London, a British Foreign |

Office spokesman denied the Israeli. charges that Britain had supplied arms to the Arab States in contravention of the Security 'Council arms embargo, and said that coniraventions of that embargo had been undertaken on a massive scale in the interests of Israei. The spokesman said he had £o far seen no denial from the Israeli Government of the charges that aircraft and arms had been delivered from Czechoslovakia and other countries. "If there is a threat to peace, that threat derives from the persisient violation of the Securiy Council truce by the Israeli authorities. I say that on the authority of the British Government and by virtue of the very precise infprmation aflorded to the United Nations by the acting mediator in Palestine." Ninety per cent of the arms supplied to the Israeli authorities had come from Eastern European sources, declared the spokesman, and Czechoslovakia had suppued the greater part of them. In Washington, State Department officials supported Britain s charges that Czechoslovakia had permitted arms shipments to Israeli in violation of the United Naiions resolutions. The officials said that the United States had informed the Czech Government last Jiuy that affidavits had been obtained from Americans participating in an illicit arms traffic. The United States had asked that arms shipments be halted. The State Department officials said that the Czech rep^y was'vague and circuitous.