is decidedly not interested in the subject that our media. I had already addressed by the end of August 2006: France, Israel and the arms market . Beyond the vague statements of principle displayed by the French and European, that in practice we should judge these "principles".
A recent report by the Centre for Documentation and Research on Peace and Conflict , presented in late May 2009, has been the subject of an article IPS News. The report does not appear available on the Internet (but you can order it here ) I offer a translation house section of IPS.
Between 2003 and 2007, France has issued licenses to more than 446 million euros (623 million dollars) for arms exports to Israel. This makes France by far the largest arms supplier to Israel in the European Union.
Patrice Bouveret, the French Centre for Peace Research (conflicts CRDPC) in Lyon, said that these sales are in contradiction with the code of conduct issued by the Union for a decade as exports of weapons. Officially declared binding by EU governments this year Last, the code prohibits arms sales in cases where they might exacerbate regional tensions or when there is a strong likelihood of being used in violation of human rights.
Speaking Thursday on the occasion of the publication of his new report on Israeli involvement in the arms trade, entitled "Arming Israel and Hamas?" Bouveret rejected repeated assurances by the government French exports to that question are usually only components of military items rather than complete weapons systems. "Even if they are only components, they are used directly by the Israeli army, "he added.
According to a study published by Amnesty International in February, electrical components inscroption bearing the "Made in France" were found in the ruins of buildings destroyed by the Israeli army during the offensive launched against the Gaza Strip last year. The elements are part of Hellfire missiles AGM manufactured by U.S. company Hellfire [Hellfire, NDT] Systems, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
Bouveret also argued that Israel is willing to strengthen its military cooperation with Europe to reduce its dependence on the United States.
Since a seven-year embargo on arms sales to Israel was lifted by the French government in 1974, the Jewish state turned to France to buy lasers and specialized equipment for the recognition he has been unable to obtain U.S..
The overall value of permits issued by the EU governments for arms sales to Israel amounted to 846 million euros between 2003 and 2007. After France, the most important exports from Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic.
Ten of the 27 EU member state official, however, they do not sell weapons to Israel. These include Portugal, Ireland, Finland and Denmark.
Caroline Pailhe GRIP, a Belgian organization which monitors the arms trade, said at the presentation of the report in Brussels on Thursday that Israel's attack against Lebanon in summer 2006 seems to have been "no real impact" on military exports to Israel. The value of licenses approved by the EU countries has fallen to 127 million euros in 2006 compared to 145 million euros a year earlier. But then rose to 199 million euros in 2007.
Israel is becoming a major player in the global defense industry. It is both the sixth largest importer and fourth largest exporter. Last year was a record year for the industry. During the first six months, Israel sold $ 5.3 billion worth of weapons abroad, compared to $ 4.7 billion for all of 2007, according to the Chamber of Commerce Franco-Israeli.
The development of this industry was heavily subsidized by the U.S. during the period 1951-2006, the U.S. has provided Israel with $ 162 billion. In comparison, the entire sub-Saharan Africa, the poorest region of the world, received only 88 billion.
About 75 percent of bilateral aid from the United States to Israel has been provided by the through two programs: the Foreign Military Financing [Foreign Military Financing] to subsidize the sale of American weapons, and the Economic Support Fund [Economic Support Fund], which allocates grants to strategic allies.
Gerald Loftus, a former U.S. diplomat, said he expects that President Barack Obama does not reduce the magnitude of aid to Israel.
But Leila Shahid, the chief representative of the Palestinian Authority in Brussels, makes a distinction between the tone of foreign policy advocated by Obama and that carried by his predecessor George W. Bush. "Fear has been the leitmotif of all the policies of President Bush," she said during the presentation of the report. "He used fear against Islam and fear of a clash of civilizations. Obama rejected the idea of manipulating fear. "
Meanwhile, the former president of the Israeli Knesset Colette Avital has criticized the restrictions imposed by his government on the delivery of goods to Gaza.
Pharmacists in the Gaza Strip say they are unable to sell treatments against head lice in children sell braces for knees to those injured in the leg, and various medications, because Israel does not allow these items to be transported in the band. Books and newspapers were also banned from entering the Gaza Strip.
Avital, a leading member of the Israeli Labour Party, told IPS that she would support to ensure that equipment that could be used as an explosive is prevented from entering the Strip Gaza, but denied access to products that are available elsewhere are "counterproductive."
"I do not see the purpose of not allowing certain goods that are not destructive," she said during a visit to Brussels this week. "The books and medicines must pass."
I think we have the right, as French citizens to be informed of these facts by our media. And in the meantime to be outraged.
Israel is the number one partner of India in the field of defense. A contract of 1, 4 billion dollars was signed between the two countries to purchase anti-missile systems responsible for protecting the Indian coastline.
Guysen News:
Considered one of the largest agreements signed between the two countries is also the largest Indian military partnership agreement with a foreign country, to Russia, Sweden, Great Britain, France and the United States."We have a very special relationship in the defense field with India," said Udi Shani recently the General Director of the agency 'Sibat export' Ministry of Defence.
Last year, an arms contract of $ 2.5 billion had been reached between the two countries.
Russia froze a contract to deliver MiG-31E fighter interceptors to Syria under pressure from Israel , said Wednesday the Russian daily Kommersant quoted sources in the military-industrial complex.
The contract, signed in Damascus in early 2007, provided for the sale to Syria of eight units for a total of 400-500 million dollars. It should be realized by the Sokol aircraft plant based in Nizhny Novgorod (Volga), the newspaper said.
According to a source close to Rosoboronexport, the Russian public corporation responsible for arms sales, the decision was taken under pressure from Israel, Syria's neighbor with which the Jewish state remains officially at war.
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