THE Government will allow more American aircraft carrying arms to Israel to stop over in Britain despite private concerns that the Pentagon was “playing fast and loose”.

The US has asked the Government to let two aircraft with missiles and bombs on board stop at Prestwick in the next fortnight. However, Labour MPs are furious with the US for breaking the rules governing the use of British airports as staging posts when demands on Israel for a ceasefire in Lebanon are growing stronger.

The Times has been told that two aircraft that landed at Prestwick last weekend carrying “bunker-busting” bombs had been designated as civilian flights and that the US failed to notify authorities in advance of their hazardous cargoes, as the rules demand.

The GBU28 bombs contain 630lbs (285kg) of high explosives and were developed by the US for use in the first Gulf War. The first foreign sale of the GBU28 was the acquisition of 100 units by Israel, authorised in April last year.

The munitions are part of a multimillion-dollar arms sale approved by the US that Israel is able to draw at will. Last week Israel asked the US to deliver satellite and laser-guided bombs. This was described as unusual by some military officers, and as an indication that Israel still had a long list of targets to strike in Lebanon.

Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, has complained to the White House about the issue and No 10 said yesterday that she had every right to be angry.

But, in an attempt to play down the row before today’s Washington summit on Lebanon between Tony Blair and President Bush, Britain is making plain that the dispute is about procedures and not the principle of allowing the aircraft to stop over.

“That will be allowed to continue. It is a right we have always granted,” a senior government official said. Both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Downing Street suggested that two more requests by America to send planes carrying missiles as well as components over the next fortnight will go through.

It is thought Mr Blair will not raise the issue because the White House is seemingly aware of British feelings. However, he is unlikely to be able to avoid it at his later press conference.

Mr Blair, under renewed and persistent attack at home for backing the US’s refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, is expected to ask all sides — including the US — to show more urgency in creating the conditions for a ceasefire.

The Prime Minister will today tell Mr Bush that work should begin on the international force that will act as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon. He believes that once this is done the time will be right to press Israel and Hezbollah into a ceasefire.

The tone of his words may be the first sign of tension between the two leaders over Lebanon, but diplomatic circles are increasingly worried that the Israeli onslaught will fail and that the ceasefire must come soon.

British sources have told The Times that the US flouted the rules by failing to notify the Civil Aviation Authority of the aircrafts’ contents in advance. Civilian flights carrying hazardous substances have to be notified to the authority.

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