Israeli arms sales to China

I heard a rumour that because of the death of the Chinese peacekeeper in Lebanon, Israel is going to start selling stuff to China that originally it promised the US it wouldn't after that argument last year.

Has anyone heard anything about this? It's really vague at the moment, so I've no idea if it's made up/a complete misunderstanding of the status quo.

Where did you hear this rumour? Link please? I think this info is bogus. Right now, Israel is desperately trying to get THEL from the U.S. (Northrop Grumman) as a subsidized item. If they take this kind of action, it will not help them get it.

Hmm...Israel's actions made the entire Bush administration look like a bunch of bufoons. Selling weapons to China may agravate the already tense situation and won't make anything better for the Israelis. What can the Israelis offer the Chinese anyway that they haven't offered? The only thing I can think of is the Phalcon AWACs. China probably got everything else from Israel or doesn't need it.

This is what I found out about the rumor..It's a rumor probally based on this article where Isreal will sell some military gear to China only after "co-operation with the US" . Isreal has set up a watch dog department to oversee the operation. This story is dated 3 March 2006. So it has nothing to do with the deaths of the Chinese peace keepers.



3 March, 2006
ISRAEL
Israel to sell arms to China again

Trade in military hardware had been suspended because of pressure from the United States. A special department will monitor exports.

Tel Aviv (AsiaNews) - Israeli companies have been authorised by the nation's Defence Ministry to resume exports of military hardware to China after months of trade blocked under US pressure.

Ministry director Yaakov Toren was quoted as saying some export permits were issued "in co-operation with the United States". The ministry intends to set up a special department responsible for supervising the authorisation needed for companies wishing to export weapons. "Companies will come and see us and we will judge on a case-by-case basis with or without consultation with the United States," he said. "We are two independent countries which respect their relative interests."

Mr Toren also confirmed that the US had asked for stricter controls in order to check that military hardware made up of US components was not exported without the approval of Washington.

Last year, the US initially froze Israeli participation in a programme to develop a new F-35 generation fighter jet, furious over an Israeli sale of sensitive military technology and equipment to China.

Yeah, popeye, I guessed as much that was what it was after looking into it. He was just some troll on Chinadaily that doesn't know much about military affairs. He frequently says stuff and then refuses to provide a source. But it would have been a massive policy reversal, so I wanted to check it out.

Fu..How do you like the statement "in co-operation with the United States"?? I mean what gives?? Looks like the US is pulling the strings on this deal. I do not think Isreal would jepordize any future military deals from the US by giving away any military hardware the US does not approve of.

bd popeye said:

Fu..How do you like the statement "in co-operation with the United States"?? I mean what gives?? Looks like the US is pulling the strings on this deal. I do not think Isreal would jepordize any future military deals from the US by giving away any military hardware the US does not approve of.

Click to expand...

I think that's rather the point. Israel can sell stuff if the US is ok with it. And the US isn't going to approve any sales of equipment under the US' embargo. So this is a face-saving measure for both China and Israel. Although the embargo has gone officially, the most important parts are still probably in place.

A parallel can be drawn with the European Union embargo. China can get a lot of systems and platforms these days, even if Europe has some things China would like that it cannot get elsewhere. But in many ways, China is more ashamed of the fact the embargo is placed upon it, not that it cannot buy the systems. If the serious word "embargo" disappeared and it was replaced by regulated arms sales (that just so happened to block the same sorts of sales) China would be a lot happier.

So I think "face" is still a deeply sore point for Beijing, which is why it seems satisfied with a deal with Israel that appears to be not a vast improvement on the situation beforehand.