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For decades, the United States has been Israel’s most important arms supplier. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Between 2019 and 2023, 99% of Israel’s arms imports came from the United States (69%) and Germany (30%).
forward On October 7, 2023, a Hamas-led Israeli attack Washington exports an average of $3 billion (€2.76 billion) worth of arms to Israel each year. But in absolute terms, Israel imports less weapons from the United States than other countries in the region.
Over the past five years, Israel received 3.6% of U.S. arms exports, while 15% went to Saudi Arabia8.2% to Qatar and 4.5% to Kuwait.
American fighter jets Israel launches massive military offensive against Gaza,as well as strike be opposed to Hezbollah In the South Lebanon. according to SIPRI reportsAccording to the US Defense Department, by the end of 2023, the United States had provided Israel with thousands of guided weapons and missiles. But the total amount of Israeli weapons imports in 2023 did not increase significantly compared with the previous year.
Stable supply of weapons
Towards Israel Protests this year have been particularly violent, with protesters taking to the streets and blocking supply lines in an attempt to halt military deliveries.
In May, U.S. President Joe Biden suspended the delivery of 2,000-pound (907-kilogram) and 500-pound bombs over concerns about excessive civilian deaths in Syria. Gaza and the conduct of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Accused of human rights violations Targeting Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, Death toll in besieged area exceeds 39,000 The Gaza Strip has been devastated since Israel launched a military operation in response to the attack on October 7 last year. Nearly 2 million people, almost 10% of the total population of the Gaza Strip, have been displaced and around 8,000 children are suffering from malnutrition due to the ongoing blockade, which UN experts say has led to famine spreading across the Gaza Strip.
After the announcement of the resumption of 500-pound bombs to the Israeli army, a U.S. official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that “the main concern has been and remains that Israel could use 2,000-pound bombs in Rafah and other areas of Gaza.”
In Rafah, Israeli air strikes and artillery fire The killings of dozens of refugees who had taken refuge in the city prompted the International Court of Justice to order Israel to “immediately cease its military offensive or any other action in Rafah governorate.”
Although the United States has suspended the supply of heavy bombs for several weeks, this has not stopped the continuous shipment of American weapons to the other side of the Atlantic. Reuters reported last month that from the outbreak of the Gaza war in October last year to the end of June this year, the United States “delivered at least 14,000 MK-84 2,000-pound bombs, 6,500 500-pound bombs, 3,000 Hellfire precision-guided air-to-ground missiles, 1,000 bunker-busting bombs, 2,600 air-dropped small diameter bombs and other ammunition to Gaza.”
The 2,000-pound MK-84 is one of the largest conventional free-fall or unguided bombs in the U.S. arsenal. It contains more than 945 pounds (429 kilograms) of high explosive material and can cause There was extensive damage to the concrete and metal structures. This type of bomb is usually used to attack heavily guarded targets or underground bunkers.
Due to the large blast radius and destructive power, its use in densely populated areas is particularly problematic.
Germany supplies war weapons and defense equipment
last year, German government authorizes arms exports A total of 326.5 million euros ($355.3 million) in aid was provided to Israel, of which 20 million euros were used to purchase war weapons and the remaining 306.3 million euros were used to purchase defense equipment.
According to media reports, the supplies include 3,000 portable anti-tank weapons, 500,000 rounds of fully automatic and semi-automatic firearms ammunition, and other fuses and propellants. Most of the more than 300 million euros were used to purchase armored vehicles, military trucks and safety glass.
As of autumn 2023, Germany had approved the export of only 38.5 million euros worth of military equipment to Israel. After October 7, this figure rose sharply.
In November, the Federal Office for Economic and Export Control, which is responsible for arms exports, said that as a result of the attack, “applications for the export of military equipment to Israel” would be decided on a priority basis. War weapons accounted for nearly 6% of the total – 2% in 2022.
As arms exports surge Germany Israel currently ranks seventh among the major recipients of German military technology. Ukraine ranked first, with a value of more than 4 billion euros, while Norway and Hungary They ranked second and third respectively, with revenues exceeding 1 billion euros each.
Activists and Palestinians sue German government
Germany’s arms supply to Israel has been criticized repeatedly. Earlier this year, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) filed a lawsuit against the German government in a local court in Berlin, trying to prevent Germany from exporting arms to Israel.
European Court of Human Rights Filed lawsuit with five Palestinians A relative of a Gaza resident was killed in an Israeli rocket attack. In June, the court dismissed the case on the grounds that the German government complied with the law and international obligations when approving the export.
This article has been translated from German.
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