December 25, 1977, Forty Years Ago: Israeli planes

Israeli military officers said in Tel Aviv they were maintaining a careful watch over the alert of Arab armies during the tense holiday period in which the Muslim sacrificial feast of Al Adha coincides with Christmas for the first time in three decades.

Israel sent warplanes and artillery shells into Lebanon, and the armies of Egypt, Syria and Lebanon were reportedly on maximum alert in fear of large-scale Israeli attacks over the Muslim and Christmas holidays, UPI reports. Israeli military officers said in Tel Aviv they were maintaining a careful watch over the alert of Arab armies during the tense holiday period in which the Muslim sacrificial feast of Al Adha coincides with Christmas for the first time in three decades. Arab newsmen in south Lebanon said Israeli artillery shelled the border village of Majidiyeh, killing a shepherd and a number of livestock. No other casualties or damage was reported.

Vajpayee resignation

The Jana Sangh Parliamentary Board has firmly turned down Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s plea for quitting Parliament. The board expressed appreciation of the factors which prompted Vajpayee to suggest his resignation and his view that the government was engaged in a deliberate attempt to denigrate Parliament. At the same time, it decided that Vajpayee cannot be allowed to resign. Vajpayee has accepted the Parliamentary Board’s decision. Vajpayee’s surprise plea led to a debate in the Jana Sangh rank-and-file. The Parliamentary Board felt that the party was unanimous in the view that Vajpayee should continue to lead the party in Parliament.

Canada on N-exports

Shipments of nuclear equipment and material to India would remain suspended, according to Donald Macdonald, the Canadian Minister for Energy and Resources. The minister was answering questions at a news conference after announcing in the House of Commons stiffer measures on the export of nuclear material, equipment and technology. Canada had suspended nuclear aid to India soon after the explosion of a nuclear device in the Rajasthan desert on May 18. He said Canada is negotiating export of its nuclear resources to six Asian and European countries but under stringent safeguards. The countries are Iran, South Korea, Denmark, Romania, the UK and Italy.