2024-04-15 15:21:25
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Israel has faced constant threats since its emergence as a nation amid Arab opposition in the Middle East after World War II. Since its emergence as a Jewish state among Islamic nations, Israel has faced a series of wars.
In 1948–49, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982 and 2006, Israel was at war with any country in the Arab region or with a coalition of more than one Arab country. Israel’s hand has been raised in all the wars.
Israel is still the strongest country in the Middle East militarily. Israel’s offensive in Gaza continues for more than 6 months in response to Hamas attacks.
Against the background of the new situation in the Middle East after the Gaza war, Iran’s attack on Israel has made the region tense. How is it that Israel has the military strength to defend itself in the midst of hostile Islamic countries around it? What weapons does Israel have? Which countries supply Israel with sophisticated weapons?
America
America, the largest arms supplier to Israel, has also helped Israel build the most technologically advanced military in the world.
According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) data, the United States accounted for 69% of Israel’s major arms imports between 2019 and 2023.
The US provides Israel with annual military aid worth $3 billion (28,500 crores in Indian currency) under a 10-year agreement. Thus, the US ensures that Israel acts as a ‘qualitative military edge’ against neighboring countries.
Israel used these grants to finance the production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, considered the most advanced military equipment ever produced. So far it has placed orders for 75 aircraft and received more than 30 fighter jets. It is the first country after the US to purchase and deploy the F-35 fighter jet in combat.
A portion of the funding provided by the United States is earmarked for use on missile defense programs, including the jointly developed Iron Dome, Aero and David’s Sling systems, which are worth $500 million a year.
Israel relies on these systems to defend the country against rocket, missile and drone attacks by Palestinian armed groups in Gaza during the war, as well as attacks by Iran-backed armed groups based in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Image credit: AFP
image captionThe United States has provided Israel’s air force with the most advanced fighter jets ever produced, the F-35s.
A few days after the October 7 attacks by Hamas, President Joe Biden said the United States was “providing additional military assistance” to Israel. Since the start of the war, US military sales to Israel have only been made public twice.
One provided 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition worth $106 million. Another was the provision of $147 million worth of components for the manufacture of 155mm cannon shells.
But President Joe Biden’s administration has secretly made more than 100 military sales to Israel, according to US media. They are said to include thousands of precision munitions, small bombs, bunker busters and small arms.
However, despite the arms deliveries, the total volume of Israeli arms imports from the United States in 2023 remained the same as in 2022, SIPRI’s report noted.
One major deal that the US government must make public is the $18 billion sale of 50 F-15 fighter jets. News of this came out this week. The US government has yet to ratify the deal.
The sale is expected to be hotly debated by Biden’s Democrats, even though the plane will have to be built from scratch and will not be delivered to Israel immediately. Also, many representatives and supporters in the government are increasingly concerned by Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Senator Elizabeth Warren has said she is prepared to block the deal and has accused Israel of indiscriminate bombing of Gaza.
Image source: Reuters
Germany
According to SIPRI data, Germany is the second largest arms exporter, importing 30% of military equipment to Israel between 2019 and 2023.
In 2023, the European country’s arms sales to Israel amount to €326.5m ($351m, £280m) – a 10-fold increase in arms sales compared to 2022 – noting that most of these export licenses were granted after the October 7 attacks.
The German government said in January that 306.4 million euros worth of military equipment and 20.1 million euros worth of “weapons of war” had been sold.
According to the DPA news agency, Germany’s sale of specified combat arms includes 3,000 anti-tank weapons and 500,000 rounds of ammunition for automatic or semi-automatic rifles. The press release also noted that most of the export licenses were granted for technologies such as development, design, maintenance and repair of ground vehicles and weapons.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been a staunch supporter of Israel’s defense since the start of the war, and although his tone on Israeli actions in Gaza has changed in recent weeks and there has been some debate in Germany, arms sales do not appear to be in danger of being suspended.
Image source: Reuters
image captionIsrael rejects accusations of not doing enough to protect civilians in Gaza, blames Hamas instead
Italy
Italy is the third largest arms exporter to Israel, but it contributed only 0.9% of Israeli imports between 2019 and 2023. Reportedly includes helicopters and naval artillery.
Sales of “weapons and ammunition” were worth €13.7m ($14.8m; £11.7m) last year, Altreconomia magazine said, citing national statistics office ISTAT. Also, exports worth €2.1m were approved between October and December.
Arms exports have been approved despite government assurances to prevent arms exports under a law banning arms sales to countries deemed to be waging war or violating human rights.
Defense Minister Guido Grosseto told parliament last month that “Italy will approve existing contracts only after verifying them on a case-by-case basis.” And noted that it confirmed that “they are not concerned about materials that can be used against the public.”
Image credit: AFP
Image caption Israel’s Elbit Systems developed the Hermes 450 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used in Gaza.
Other countries
According to the UK government, only £42m ($53m) has been allocated by 2022. Therefore, Britain’s exports of military goods to Israel are “relatively small”.
Since 2008, Britain has reportedly granted arms export licenses to Israel worth a total of £574m ($727m), according to information provided by the Agency Against the Arms Trade (CAAT). Most of them are for parts used in fighter jets manufactured in the United States and supplied to Israel.
But the British government is under constant pressure to freeze even those exports.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Britain has a very careful regime in issuing export licenses and that Israel must comply with international humanitarian law.
The UK government is preparing an assessment to advise on the risk of Israel violating international law from early 2024. But a senior government official told the BBC that an arms embargo on Israel was “not going to happen”.
The government of Canada, which sold arms worth 21.3 million Canadian dollars ($15.7m; £12.4m) to Israel in 2022, said in January it had suspended approving new export permits for the weapons until it ensured they were used in accordance with the country’s law. However, exports that are already in process are valid.
Image source, EPA
image captionThe US has reportedly allowed Israel to withdraw artillery shells from its stockpile.
Israeli Defense Industry
Israel has built up its own defense industry with US help. It is also currently the world’s ninth largest arms exporter, focusing on advanced technology products rather than large-scale weapons.
According to SIPRI, they accounted for 2.3% of global sales between 2019 and 2023, with India (37%), the Philippines (12%) and the US (8.7%) being the three major arms importers. According to the Israeli Defense Ministry, sales are worth $12.5bn (£9.9bn) by 2022.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) accounted for 25% of these exports. This is followed by missiles, rockets and air defense systems (19%) and radar and electronic warfare systems (13%), the ministry said.
In September, shortly before the start of the war, Germany agreed to a $3.5 billion deal with Israel to purchase a sophisticated Aero 3 missile defense system that intercepts long-range missiles.
The treaty was so large that it had to be ratified by the United States. Because Israel-US jointly developed this security system.
US military presence in Israel
Israel has a vast US weapons depot established in 1984. It was set up to preemptively deploy supplies for its troops in the event of regional conflicts, as well as provide rapid access to weapons to Israel in emergencies.
Following the Russian invasion, the Pentagon shipped approximately 300,000 155mm artillery shells from this ammunition storage facility in Israel to Ukraine. Weapons stored in the warehouse since the start of the Gaza war are said to have been delivered to Israel.
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