Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-09
Britain Protests Planes Loss,
But Israeli u. N. Chief Refuses
To ronsmit Note to Tel Ayiv
Jewish Official Cites
Failure to Address 1t
To His Government
By the Associoted Press

NEW YORK, Jan. 8.-Britain
protested strongly to Israel today
against the shooting down OF
five British planes on the Egyp-
tan front, but the Israeli dele
cation to the United Nations to-
night refused to transmit the
protest to Tel Aviv because it
was not addressed to the Israeli
government.
Britain has not recognized the
state of Israel.
Sir Terence Shone, British dep
uty on the United Nations Security
Council, gave his Governments pro-
test to Arthur Lourie, Israeli repre-
sentative. in Mr. 'Louries Riverside
Drive apartment.
Copy Handed to Bunche.
The British deputy also handed
to DR.. Ralph J. Bunche, acting me-
diator for Palestine, a copy of the
memorandum. He saw DR.. Bunche
In Manhattan between two inter-
views as DR.. Bunche prepared to
take off tomorrow for Palestine
armistice talks on the island of
Rhodes.
The contents Of the British note
were not revealed here
A British source said the note
would have to be made public in
Tel Aviv, after it had been seen
by the Israeli authorities there, or
in London.
Mr.. Lourie told newsmen the con-
tents could be released only by the
British Foreign Office
I. L. Kenen, press attache of the
Israeli delegation to the U. N. an
nounced that Mr.. Lourie had in
formed Sir Terence of the Israeli
refusal to transmit the protest.
The British note was drafted after
the Air Ministry in London accused
Jewish forces of downing the five
planes on patrol over Egypt.
Notes British Request.
In his statement to Sir Terence,
Mr.. Lourie said that he had noted
the British document contains a
request to the Jewish delegation to
transmit the protest contained in
that document to the Jewish au-
thorities at Tel Aviv'
II had assumed that you were
calling on me in my capacity as
acting representative of the provi-
sional government of Israel at the
Security Council of the United Ma
tons. and it was on that under
standing that. subject to the pro-
Viso verbally communicated to you.
I had undertaken to transmit the
contents of the document in question
to my government.
at is clear from the document
itself, however. that was mistaken,
and in the absence OF any specific
indication as to who is intended by
words The Jewish representative
or The Jewish authorities at Tel
Aviv,' I am not in a position to
act on your request"
At the time he received the pro-
test Mr.. Lourie told Sir Terence it
would be sent to Tel Aviv promptly.
Language Termed Strong.
Sir Terence said the language of
he protest was strong. the British
deputy arrived at Mr.. Lourie's
apartment on Riverside Drive with
one assistant and talked with Mr..
Lourie for about 80 minutes.
Mr.. Lourie said at that time that
he was receiving the document
merely as matter of courtesy for
transmission to his government.
British sources said the note was
handed to Mr.. Lourie here instead
of being sent direct to Tel Aviv be-
cause it was matter of convent
ence. They said Israel had to be
informed and the acting mediator
told of Britains attitude at the
same time, so the government chose
to deliver the notes here.
These sources said Britain has
not yet asked for a meeting of the
Security Council on the plane Incl
dent.
Sir Terence interrupted his week.
end holiday to spend all day at his
office in downtown New York draft
ing the protest to Israel. The For
eign Office in London instructed him
to take immediate action.
DR.. Bunche said he would take no
action, regardless of any protest
until he had received all the facts
and knew just what had happened.
He declared he hoped that the
British-Israeli clash would not in
terfere with the armistice negotia-
tons scheduled to begin next week
on Rhodes.
He said he was hopeful that
Egypt and Israel would send their
foreign ministers to the peace talks.
He had not received notification of
See TT NJ paoe AL