The Israeli government is aiming to increase the volume of Israel’s defense exports, reported Globes, which has revealed the main points of the plan for the first time.
The project, being overseen by the Defence Ministry’s International Defence Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) led by Brigadier General (Res.) Yair Kulas, will begin to be rolled out in early 2020.
RT PalestineChron "#Apartheid Arms: Why #Israel Sells Military Equipment to Human Rights Violators https://t.co/u1eyBUhDu2 via PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/kEDVuPygQT"
— Richard Hardigan (@RichardHardigan) May 25, 2019
According to Globes, the plan is based on “focused seminars for senior commanders in foreign armies”, Israeli military “assistance for promoting sales of Israeli weapons”, and “subsidizing small and medium-sized defense companies seeking to sell arms around the world”.
Speaking this week, Kulas said that SIBAT favors a major expansion of agreements between countries, resulting in significant deals for the large defense companies, especially Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Rafael Advanced Defence Systems.
As reported by Globes, Israel’s defense exports totaled $7.5 billion in 2018, with 46 percent of them being to Asia, 26 percent to European countries, 20 percent to North America, six percent to Latin America and two percent to Africa.
The new focus includes “Asian countries with which Israel’s ties have hitherto been kept on a low media profile”, although specific names have not been mentioned publicly.
Those weapons're used to slaughter many minorities╲?
”#Israel’s sale of weapons to #Myanmar has been criticised by the UN in a report calling on the international community to impose targeted sanctions and an arms embargo on the south-east Asian nation.https://t.co/eKEJY4iVLw
— KAKAPO➤Endangered (@178kakapo) November 23, 2019
“As a matter of policy,” Globes explained, “the Ministry of Defence does not disclose the names of the countries to which arms from Israel are exported.”
In addition, the report added, the Defence Ministry “will pay the most attention in the coming years” with respect to arms exports to European countries.
(2/3) Here's Mirvis essentially condoning the slaughter of well over a thousand Palestinian civilians including 500+ children. He also makes implicitly clear what he thinks about Labours embargo of weapons sales to Israel. pic.twitter.com/rSyCSoRCDi
— Steve W (@StevenW69808657) November 26, 2019
A mapping conducted by the ministry in recent months cited 41 countries around the world considered important targets for Israeli arms firms, with half of those target countries in Europe.
One country cited by Globes is Finland, believed to be one of the Israeli arms industry’s targets. In recent years, Helsinki has purchases drones from Israeli company Aeronautics, and also “signed a deal in excess of €190 million [$209 million] for the purchase of ship-to-ship Gabriel missiles from IAI”.
(Middle East Monitor, PC, Social Media)
