A Tacit Alliance: France and Israel from Suez to the Six Day WarAlmost immediately after Israel declared its independence in 1948, it began to benefit from a unique series of scientific and military exchanges with France. These exchanges, arranged for the most part outside normal diplomatic channels, were in conflict with the official pro Arab position of the French government, and also ran counter to Israel's leanings toward the United States, Britain, and the Commonwealth countries. They thus indicated the