THE DEFENCE BUILD-UP

THE SPATE OF ARMS DEALS, actual or potential, in which the kingdom is currently involved, has sparked off sharp reactions from Israel. An Israeli official in the Prime Minister's office was quoted in Bonn as saying that weapons purchased by Saudi Arabia from West Germany might well 'force' Israel into launching a pre-emptive attack against the kingdom. This kind of verbal belligerence will not be taken very seriously, least of all by Saudi Arabia itself - but it does indicate the degree of alarm with which the Israeli government regards Arab arms acquisition.