(Ha'aretz) Ze'ev Schiff - A thorough examination reveals that since 2000, Israel has sold to China defense equipment at an approximate value of only $35 million. Since 2003, when the U.S.-Israel mechanism for disclosure of weapons sales to China was set up, total sales from Israel to China have amounted to some $20 million. In 1999, Israel sold about 100 Harpy combat UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to China for about $70 million. The Americans allege that Israel is also engaged in upgrading these UAVs, and that it concealed facts about the transaction from the U.S. It was explained to the Pentagon that Israel's current policy is not to sell China "firing weapons"; in its sales to China, Israel would do everything possible not to jeopardize American defense interests.
2005-03-23 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive