Israel's arms supplier countries

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Although Israel is one of the world's major exporters of military equipment, its military relies heavily on imported aircraft, guided bombs, and missiles to carry out what experts have defined as one of the most intense and destructive airstrikes in recent history. [1]

Contents

Israel

Israel's defense industry is a strategically important sector, a major employer, and a main supplier of the Israeli Defense Forces. [2] There are more than 150 active defense companies based in Israel with a combined annual revenue of over $3.5 billion. [3]

US

main article United States support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war Since its founding, Israel has received approximately $310 billion (inflation-adjusted) in total economic and military aid from the United States, making it the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign aid. [4]

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report, the United States is the main supplier of armaments to Israel, accounting for 69% of Israel's major conventional arms imports between 2019 and 2023. [5]

The United States provides annually to Israel with about $3.8 billion in military aid annually. Israel has been the largest recipient of US financial support to foreign aid since World War II, receiving a cumulative $158 billion through 2023 at current inflation-adjusted prices.

On 2016, the United States and Israel signed their third 10-year Memorandum of Understanding on military aid by undertaking $38 billion through 2028, including $33 billion in foreign military aid, plus $5 billion for missile defense, as part of a record. Israel used this aid to finance orders for 75 F-35 joint strike fighters, and stealth aircraft, It has used missile defense programs, including the jointly developed Iron Dome, Arrow, and David's Sling systems. the US sends to Israel Iron Dome air-defense missiles, small-diameter bombs, and JDAM kits which convert unguided bombs into GPS-guided weapons, advanced weaponry such as CH-53 heavy-lift helicopters, and KC-46 aerial refueling tankers. [6]

laser-guided missiles for its Apache gunship fleet, as well as 155mm shells, night-vision devices, bunker-buster munitions and new army vehicles. [7] The United States also provides high-level military consultancy to Israel. [8]

Germany

According to the SIPRI, Germany is one of the main suppliers of armaments to Israel, accounting for 30% of Israel's arms imports between 2019 and 2023. [5] According to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development ( BMZ ) report, Germany's defense exports to Israel worth about $353 million have so far increased almost 10 times from last year. the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported, that Germany supplies components of air defense systems and communication equipment to Israel. The arms exported included 3,000 portable anti-tank weapons and 500,000 rounds of ammunition for automatic or semi-automatic firearms. Most of the export licenses were granted for land vehicles and technology for the development, assembly, maintenance, and repair of weapons. [9] [1] [10]

Italy

According to the SIPRI, Italy is one of Israel's three biggest armaments suppliers along with the US and Germany, accounting for 1% of Israel's arms imports between 2019 and 2023. [5] Citing to Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), despite the government's assurances that they are under a law that bans the sale of arms to countries that are at war or are believed to be violating human rights, the sale of "arms and ammunition" reached $14.8 million last year. Italy's exports include helicopters and naval artillery. [1]

UK

The total value of UK exports to Israel is unclear. In 2022, UK-approved arms export licenses to Israel were worth $52.5 million, but 10 "open" licenses were also issued with an unlimited value, the actual value of the export is unclear. Between the October 7 attack by Hamas and May 31, according to government statistics, Britain issued more than 108 arms export licenses to Israel. [11] The non-profit group Campaign Against Arms Trade has calculated that £574 million worth of arms export licenses have been granted to Israel since 2008, but this figure does not account for the value of open licenses. [12] In December 2023, Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq and the UK-based Global Legal Action Network launched a legal challenge over the UK's role in arms sales to Israel, calling on the UK to stop granting licenses for arms exports to Israel, after their written requests to suspend arms sales after the 7 October attack were ignored. Later, Britain's two premier human rights organizations, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch joined the campaign. Calls for an end to arms sales to Israel heightened after three British citizens were killed in World Central Kitchen aid convoy attack by Israel in central Gaza. [13] According to the Campaign Against Arms Trade, BAE Systems, the largest defense contractor in Europe and the seventh-largest in the world, provides about 15% of the components of the F-35 stealth combat aircraft used by Israel that were used in the recent bombing of Gaza. [14]

Canada

Trudeau admitted in late January that Canada had authorized military exports to Israel after the 7 October war. According to Al Jazeera, the Trudeau government approved at least $21 million in new licenses for military exports to Israel in the early months of the war. Some of the products sold include bombs, torpedoes, rockets, other explosive devices and charges, and related equipment and accessories. [15] On 5 March 2023, Human rights and pro-Palestinian advocates in Canada filed a lawsuit against the federal government to block companies from allowing them to export military goods and technology to Israel. [16]

See also

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The defense industry of Israel is a strategically important sector and a large employer, as well as a major supplier of the Israel Defense Forces. The country is one of the world's major exporters of military equipment, accounting for 10% of the world total in 2007. Three Israeli companies were listed on the 2022 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute index of the world's top 100 arms-producing and military service companies: Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries and RAFAEL. It is also a major player in the global arms market with a 2.3% share of the global exports of major arms as of 2023. Total arms transfer agreements topped $12.9 billion between 2004 and 2011. There are over 150 active defense companies based in the country with combined revenues of more than $3.5 billion annually. Israeli defense equipment exports reached $7 billion in 2012, making it a 20 percent increase from the amount of defense-related exports in 2011. With the war in Ukraine, arms exports reached $12.5 billion in 2022. Much of the exports are sold to the United States and Europe. Other major regions that purchase Israeli defense equipment include Southeast Asia and Latin America. India is also major country for Israeli arms exports and has remained Israel's largest arms market in the world.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">EDGE Group</span> Emirati Defense Company

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defense industry of Ukraine</span> Industry Sector in Ukraine

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accusations of United States complicity in Israeli war crimes in the Israel–Hamas war</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war</span>

Following the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war on October 7th, 2023, the United Kingdom has provided Israel with extensive military and diplomatic support. In response to the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asserted that the United Kingdom "unequivocally" stands with Israel. The UK also issued an "unequivocal condemnation" of Palestinian militant group Hamas and deployed British Armed Forces personnel and assets to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli war crimes in the Israel–Hamas war</span>

Since the beginning of the Israel–Hamas war in 2023, the Israeli military and authorities have been charged with committing war crimes, such as indiscriminate attacks on civilians in densely-populated areas ; genocide; forced evacuations; the torture and executions of civilians; sexual violence; destruction of cultural heritage; collective punishment; and the mistreatment and torture of Palestinian prisoners. Humanitarian organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, B'tselem, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, the UN Human Rights Council, and human rights groups and experts, including United Nations special rapporteurs, have documented these actions.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gritten, David (15 April 2024). "Gaza war: Where does Israel get its weapons?". BBC.
  2. ↑ SIPRI Top 100 Arm-Producing and Military Service Companies SIPRI. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ Jonathan Masters Jonathan Masters and Will MerrowMerrow, Jonathan and Will (31 May 2024). "U.S. Aid to Israel in Four Charts". Council on Foreign Relations .
  5. 1 2 3 wezeman, djokic, george, hussain and wezeman, pieter d., katarina, mathew, zain and siemon t. (March 2024). "TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL ARMS TRANSFERS, 2023" (PDF). SIPRI .{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ HAMMER, MATHIAS (3 November 2023). "What to Know About US Military Support for Israel's Gaza Offensive".
  7. ↑ Capaccio, Anthony (15 November 2023). "US Is Quietly Sending Israel More Ammunition, Missiles". Bloomberg .
  8. ↑ Ali, Rabia (26 October 2023). "US military support to Israel: What and how?". Anadolu Agency .
  9. ↑ Kim, Victoria (10 April 2024). "Which Countries Are the Biggest Suppliers to Israel's Military?". The New York Times .
  10. ↑ "Who are Israel's main weapons suppliers and who has halted exports?". Reuters . 9 May 2024.
  11. ↑ Wintour, Patrick (11 Jun 2024). "UK has issued 108 arms export licenses to Israel since October 7". The Guardian .
  12. ↑ Tait, Robert (9 Apr 2024). "Which countries supply Israel with arms and why is Biden reluctant to stop?". theguardian.
  13. ↑ HUI, SYLVIA (23 April 2024). "A legal challenge over the UK's role in arms sales to Israel will go ahead". Associated Press .
  14. ↑ Magid, Jacob (9 April 2024). "UK arms exports to Israel will continue, Cameron says, bucking left-wing pressure". The Times of Israel .
  15. ↑ Mitrovica, Andrew (24 Mar 2024). "The Canadian arms embargo on Israel that was not". aljazeera.
  16. ↑ Shakil, Ismail (6 March 2024). "Pro-Palestinian group sues Canada over military exports to Israel". Reuters .
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