Arms trade to Israel

January 2009 --- Israel has an extensive domestic arms industry and is also one of the world’s largest arms importers. Most of its arms (about 95%) are supplied by the United States. The remaining 5% is mainly supplied by European countries, although arms export to Israel are not in line with the EU criteria for arms export. When it comes to Israel the EU arms export criteria are not applied consistently. The EU arms export criteria forbid export if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression (criteria two), provoke or prolong armed conflicts or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts in the country of final destination (criteria three) or if there is a clear risk that the intended recipient would use the proposed export aggressively against another country or to assert by force a territorial claim (criteria four). Export to Israel through third countries and transfer of (mainly American ) military goods through EU sea and air ports are not tested against the EU arms export criteria at all.

For an excellent analysis of Israeli arms export profiting from the 'battle-tested' status due to the urban warfare in Palestine see Unmanned aerial vehicles and the warfare of inequality management by Jimmy Johnson on Electronic Intifadah.

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Amsterdam airport Schiphol has been a major transit ports for arms transfers (mainly ammunition and bullet parts) for many years. Read the Press Release and the overview of arms transfers to Israël 2006-2007. Despite promises to parliament the government has still not published arms transfer figures for 2008. A Parliament vote on better transit control because of the Gaza war was turned down. Read the report Wapenhandel en militaire samenwerking met Israël (with english summary). Read the common press release of Vredesactie (B) and Campagne tegen Wapenhandel (NL) about arms exports and transits (in English).

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According to the Flemish minister of economic affairs Ceyens no weapons or components are exported to Israel, writes newspaper the Standaard. This can be doubted. Read the press release of Belgium's Vredesactie about arms transfers through Bierset (Liege) airport in Dutch and in french. See the documentary about Bierset of TerZake. Also an interview with Vredesactie's Hans Lammerant at MO. Read the common press release of Vredesactie (B) and Campagne tegen Wapenhandel (NL) about arms exports and transits (in English). Questions are asked in the Flemish parliament bij SP.a and in the Wallonian parliament by Ecolo. Read article of Vrede & Vredesactie in De Morgen.

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Campaign Against Arms Trade has protested against arms exports to Israel since the Lebanon War in 2006. The British section of Amnesty International calls for boycot of arms exports to Israel and gives an overview of UK exports. In an urgent letter to UK foreign minister Millibrand AI-UK calls to stop a weapons ship heading to Israel. Nine people from Brighton smashed the computers of EDO MBM Technology military plant that produces wapons (including guided missiles) for Israel. See also the website of the Smash-EDO campaign.

The Derry Anti War Coalition has asked the police to investigate Raytheon for war crimes. During Israel's invasion in Lebanon in 2006, members of the DAWC who severely damaged the Rayteon computer system were found not guilty by a jury because they "acted to prevent war crimes".

vlag dl MEP Tobias Plfuger calles for an EU arms boycot (in German). Interview with Otfried Nassauer from BITS on Rüstungszusammenarbeit zwischen Deutschland und Israel (arms coöperation between Germany and Israel) and an article in TAZ.

flag greece On January 7 a message appears on the internet that the US wants to ship extra weapons and ammunition to Israel through a Greek port. This is followed by an urgent call for action from Palestinians to the people in Greece to stop the ship. The transport is canncelled, unclear if this is done because of the security situation in Gaza or the risk of civil action in Greece. Destination of the transport by the way is not the Israeli army but a US arms depot in Israel.

Amnesty International appelle la communauté internationale à imposer immédiatement un embargo sur les armes à Israël, le Hamas et les groupes armés palestiniens. Rapports d’organisations internationales Qui arme Israël et le Hamas ? La paix pass(é)e par les armes ?
Article: France: 'Defying rules on arms sales to Israel'

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Committee of 100 in Finland investigates cooperation with israeli arms industry.

flag eu An overview of arms exports from the EU to Israël on the website of GRIP (in French). Note that this overview only gives direct exports. The exports of components through third countries is not listed. See also overview 2008 article on EU.Observer.

Of Israel's military import 95% comes from the United States. Through the FMF program, Israel remains the single largest recipient of U.S. military aid each year, which they use to purchase U.S. weapons. Also protest in the United States: read the speech and the letter of Democratic Member of Congress Kucinich: In Gaza, Israel has violated arms export act.

Link to website of Beirut activists campaign. In English and French. Who is arming the occupation?
Qui arme l'occupation de la Palestine?

On the use of forbidden weapons

All weapons used in a densely populated area are terrible. However, some weapons are forbidden under humanitarian law. There are many rumours about Israel using cluster munitions, white phosphor and DIME. See also The Independend. So far only the use of white phosphor is proven. Israel claims all used weapons are legal. Please find some comments by experts. See a Channel4 documentary on transfer of cluster weapons and DIME through American military Airport in the UK.

On cluster munitions, a statement by the Cluster Munition Coalition.

On the use of white phosphor, Human Right Watch Q&A on White phospor and International Law and CBS news item from Gaza.

On DIME, a press article quoting two Norwegian doctors.

Israel has established special army units to record the operation to justify their actions against schools, hospitals and holy sites.

Photo: Peace demo in Tel Aviv, January 12, 2009