What a load of hypocrisy the EU dumps on us all! What do the EU
countries, so eager to stop Israel from defending itself from over
3,000 rockets in a month, expect Israel to do with all this weaponry?
The French, whose president, Sarkozy, is running around strutting
the stage as a peacemaker, make the most from the trade, with
Britain a smaller supplier
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EU OBSERVER 8.1.09
Arms exports to Israel from EU worth ?200m
LEIGH PHILLIPS
BRUSSELS - European Union member states authorised the export of
?200 million in arms exports to Israel in 2007, the latest figures
from Brussels disclose, with France far and away the Jewish state's
biggest European weapons supplier.
According to the EU's 2008 report on arms export licences, published
in December for the 2007 calendar year and consolidating the accounts
that member states must annually submit, 18 member states authorised
a total of 1,018 such licences to Israel worth ?199,409,348. (=£182m)
France, Germany and Romania were the top three exporters. France
issued export licences worth ?126 million, Germany authorised ?28
million and Romania ?17 million, the EUobserver can reveal.
{Britain was around £18m -,- - or about ?20m]
In response to calls from opposition politicians that the UK
government halt its arms exports to Israel (£18M (=?20m) and push
all other EU member states to do the same, a British foreign office
spokesperson said: "We do not approve any defence related exports if
we judge that there is a risk that they will be used for external
aggression or internal repression.
"We routinely refuse export licences where we believe that there is a
risk of this. Any application relating to Israel is considered on
this basis," the spokesperson continued.
EU arms code of conduct
The EU has maintained an arms export code of conduct since 1998, but
it is overseen at the member state level, not in Brussels, so if Mr
Brown were to push for such a move, he would have to convince the 26
other member states.
In 2007, ?12 million in small arms and ammunition were exported to
Israel by Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Romania and the UK.
Another ?23.5 million in "light weapons," meaning those that require
two to three people to operate them, such as bombs, torpedoes and
explosive devices, were supplied by the Czech Republic, Germany,
Romania and Slovenia.
Belgium, France and Romania also sent Israel ?18.5 million worth of
aircraft and related material. Paris is responsible for ?10 million
of this sum.
In a fourth, very broad category of armaments in the EU's
consolidated report, "electronic equipment" - referring to
electronics specifically modified for military use, navigation and
guidance equipment, and satellite jamming systems, some ?94 million
was exported by France (?89 million) and Germany (?5 million).
The rest of the ?200 million consists of weapons that fall into other
minor categories beyond small arms, light weapons, aircraft and
electronics.
Italy, traditionally a major arms exporter, only supplied Israel with
?0.5 million in weapons in 2007. Spain, also a leading trader in the
sector also sold Tel Aviv just ?4.5 million worth of armaments.
Sweden, another major European weapons producer, along with eight
other EU member states, delivered nothing to the Jewish state.
Across the EU, only 28 export licences were refused as a result of
human rights, internal security or regional stability reasons.
Kaye Stearman, of the UK-based Campaign Against Arms Trade, told this
website: "The UN and impartial observers have regularly documented
how Israeli military actions have violated international humanitarian
law.
"Although the UK's own Consolidated EU and National Arms Export
Licensing Criteria is supposed to assess the impact of arms sales on
regional peace, security and stability, and the country's human
rights record, it seems that this is ignored in the case of Israel."
"Britain must immediately stop selling arms, including arms
components, to Israel and also stop buying arms from Israeli
companies - arms that have been 'tested' in the laboratories of the
occupied territories."
EU OBSERVER 8.1.09
Arms exports to Israel from EU worth ?200m
LEIGH PHILLIPS
BRUSSELS - European Union member states authorised the export of
?200 million in arms exports to Israel in 2007, the latest figures
from Brussels disclose, with France far and away the Jewish state's
biggest European weapons supplier.
According to the EU's 2008 report on arms export licences, published
in December for the 2007 calendar year and consolidating the accounts
that member states must annually submit, 18 member states authorised
a total of 1,018 such licences to Israel worth ?199,409,348. (=£182m)
France, Germany and Romania were the top three exporters. France
issued export licences worth ?126 million, Germany authorised ?28
million and Romania ?17 million, the EUobserver can reveal.
{Britain was around £18m -,- - or about ?20m]
In response to calls from opposition politicians that the UK
government halt its arms exports to Israel (£18M (=?20m) and push
all other EU member states to do the same, a British foreign office
spokesperson said: "We do not approve any defence related exports if
we judge that there is a risk that they will be used for external
aggression or internal repression.
"We routinely refuse export licences where we believe that there is a
risk of this. Any application relating to Israel is considered on
this basis," the spokesperson continued.
EU arms code of conduct
The EU has maintained an arms export code of conduct since 1998, but
it is overseen at the member state level, not in Brussels, so if Mr
Brown were to push for such a move, he would have to convince the 26
other member states.
In 2007, ?12 million in small arms and ammunition were exported to
Israel by Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Romania and the UK.
Another ?23.5 million in "light weapons," meaning those that require
two to three people to operate them, such as bombs, torpedoes and
explosive devices, were supplied by the Czech Republic, Germany,
Romania and Slovenia.
Belgium, France and Romania also sent Israel ?18.5 million worth of
aircraft and related material. Paris is responsible for ?10 million
of this sum.
In a fourth, very broad category of armaments in the EU's
consolidated report, "electronic equipment" - referring to
electronics specifically modified for military use, navigation and
guidance equipment, and satellite jamming systems, some ?94 million
was exported by France (?89 million) and Germany (?5 million).
The rest of the ?200 million consists of weapons that fall into other
minor categories beyond small arms, light weapons, aircraft and
electronics.
Italy, traditionally a major arms exporter, only supplied Israel with
?0.5 million in weapons in 2007. Spain, also a leading trader in the
sector also sold Tel Aviv just ?4.5 million worth of armaments.
Sweden, another major European weapons producer, along with eight
other EU member states, delivered nothing to the Jewish state.
Across the EU, only 28 export licences were refused as a result of
human rights, internal security or regional stability reasons.
Kaye Stearman, of the UK-based Campaign Against Arms Trade, told this
website: "The UN and impartial observers have regularly documented
how Israeli military actions have violated international humanitarian
law.
"Although the UK's own Consolidated EU and National Arms Export
Licensing Criteria is supposed to assess the impact of arms sales on
regional peace, security and stability, and the country's human
rights record, it seems that this is ignored in the case of Israel."
"Britain must immediately stop selling arms, including arms
components, to Israel and also stop buying arms from Israeli
companies - arms that have been 'tested' in the laboratories of the
occupied territories."
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