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Israel major supplier of arms to Beijing
A congressional commission on China stated in a report recently made public that Israel has become Chinaâs largest arms and weapons technology supplier after Russia. The report stated that the panel "continues to be concerned over Israeli transfers of U.S.-origin technology to China."
In the 1990s, Israel was caught selling China Patriot anti-missile technology that U.S. officials say has ended up in Chinese air defense weapons. Israel in January 2003 suspended sales of arms to China that could harm U.S. security and a U.S.-Israeli discussion channel was set up to deal with the transfers. The report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, established under a 2000 law, disclosed that Amos Yaron, director-general of Israelâs defense ministry, restarted Israeli arms transfers to China in March 2004. According to the report, while the details of the talks are not known, "the commission understands that Israel has offered training facilities, including one for urban warfare, to train Chinaâs security forces for the Olympics."
| Hummm, training anti-terrorist forces is ok by me. |
Israeli companies are discussing a range of sensitive weapons-related sales to China, including exports of sensor and observation systems, security fences, microwave and optics, training, metal detectors and packages for airport and vital facilities security."
| Again this group looks ok. |
The report said Israel is also helping China develop unmanned aerial vehicles and is selling Tavor personal assault weapons, pilot training systems, advanced communications and surveillance gear and several types of UAVs.
Israeli HARPY anti-radiation drones have been spotted during Chinese exercises near Taiwan. "The HARPY is designed to detect, attack, and destroy radar emitters," the report said. "These systems pose a significant threat to various critical military C4ISR facilities on Taiwan as well as to U.S. operational forces operating in the region. The UAV has a range of about five hundred kilometers and contains a high-explosive warhead."
| Unless we've got some kind of secret agreement and a back-door into these UAV's, Israel has got some explaining to do. |
Posted by: Anonymous5089 2004-07-01 |
