The World : Arens Quits Israel Cabinet

Israeli Cabinet minister Moshe Arens, angry over a government decision to scrap the Lavi fighter aircraft project, submitted his resignation, to take effect in 48 hours. Arens, a minister without portfolio, had threatened Sunday to resign after the government voted to abandon the costly Lavi in favor of cheaper, U.S.-built fighter aircraft. Meanwhile, hundreds of Israeli aircraft workers, enraged at the decision, protested outside Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir’s house and lined up at the U.S. and Canadian embassies to ask about job opportunities. Shamir had warned that the Lavi cancellation could cause a brain-drain of technicians.