PRAY FOR THEM : Know the basics about Israel’s military before you talk…

Do you know that…

  1. Amnesty International has renewed its call to the United Nations Security Council to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel?
  2. While Israel was bombing the hapless Palestinians the Biden administration has approved a $735 million sale in weapons to Israel?
  3. International Human Rights organisations have unanimously said that the approval of weapons sale to Israel will put civilians-Palestinians at greater risk?
  4. The approval of the 735 million dollar arms sale to Israel was severely criticised in congress in the United States?
  5. That several democrats introduced draft legislation to block US arms to Israel?
  6. That United States senator and former democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (old man with principles and not a dinosaur) has introduced a resolution to block the 735 million dollar arms sales to Israel?
  7. That Bernie Sanders introduced in the senate legislation on Thursday 20th of May to block the sale of joint direct attack munitions and small diameter bombs?
  8. That the United States of America provides about 3.8 billion dollars of unconditional aid to Israel every year?
  9. That Gaza has been rightly described by Human Rights activists as the world’s largest open air prison?
  10. That Israeli forces continue to militarily occupy East Jerusalem & the West Bank where the Israelis have built hundreds of only Jews illegal settlements?
  11. That Israel has imposed a land, sea & air blockade on the 2.1 million Palestinian inhabitants of Gaza?
  12. That military service is mandatory for citizens over the age of 18 in Israel & defectors are severely punished?
  13. That in 2020 Israel spent 22 billion dollars on its military?
  14. That Israel spent two thousand five hundred and eight dollars per capita on its army?
  15. That per capita Israel is the biggest spender (USA is second & Australia third)?
  16. That Israel allocate 12% of its total government expenses to its army?
  17. That Ísrael was the twelth biggest arms supplier in the world (around 345 million dollars per year)?
  18. That Israel is a leading supplier of advanced weaponry including drones, missiles (all sorts & sizes) radar technology, listening devices & other weapons systems?
  19. That the United States of America are easily the biggest supplier of military aid to Israel?
  20. That President Barack Obama (yes, I made no mistake!) signed a record 38 billion military deal across a ten year period?
  21. That the LEAHY LAW prohibits the export of US defence articles to countries where there are Human Rights abuses but Israel has not been penalised despite sending arms to the Sri Lankan government to kill Tamils?
  22. That Israel has managed to trick the legislators In the United States of America to pass the Israel’s – USA strategic partnership act of 2014 to protect Israel’s “Qualitative military edge”?
  23. That “Qualitative military edge” means Israel should maintain military superiority over all Arabs and Muslims countries in the neighbourhood?
  24. That the strategic partnership act of 2014 (who was in power 2014?) guarantees Israel access to advanced US weapons?
  25. That Israel can vet to any “US arms sale “to any neighbour of Israel?
  26. That in 2020 the USA gave Israel 3.8 billion dollars in total aid compared to 19 million dollars to the Palestinians?

AB    That USA aid for Israel’s military has drastically increased despite Israeli (or must I write because…) campaigns in Gaza in 2008/2009, 2012 and 2014 which have resulted in the deaths of more than 3,500 Palestinians compared to the 100 Israelis killed?

AC     That since 2000 the USA gave Israel 58 billion dollars in military aid and 5 billion in economic aid?

AC     That 55 percent of all US foreign military financing were dedicated to Israel more than the rest of the world?

AD  That the USA have other indirect forms of military aid to Israel for example through the CIA via Mossad?

AE  That the US military maintains “emergency” stockpile of weapons in Israel estimated at around 4 billion dollars?

AF That according to Neve Gordon professor at Queen Mary University in London, Israel has used Palestine, Lebanon and Syria as a showcase for products that are developed by Israel’s military – industrial complex?

AG That Israel showcase its surveillance products in claiming that they were used in actual combat situations and their effectiveness have been proved beyond any slight doubt?

AH That Israel was a net importer of arms from 1948 to 1973 to become as from 2000 a major arms manufacturer & exporter?

AI That Israel is now exporting 23 percent of its arms to India of Modi?

AJ That Israel exports (or has exported) arms & surveillance equipment to Mauritius? [ Source SIPRI data as of 2020]

AK That from 2015 to 2020 Israel’s major weapon markets were:
a) India – 43%
b) Azerbaijan – 16%
c) Vietnam – 10%
d) USA (or ya !) 4%

AL That India of Modi was largest buyer of Israeli weapons in 2020?

AM That between 2015-2020 Israel has exported weapons to 43 countries?

AN That between 2015 and 2020 Israel has imported weapons from Germany and Italy?

AO That the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, sanctions) has called for a non-violent, people led movement to pressure Israel to end the occupation and provide equal rights and a right of return to Palestinians?

AP That “not one dollar request” that is not even one dollar from any country should be used to violate the Human Rights of the Palestinian people?

RAMA VALAYDEN
Friday 4th June 2021
Soreze

  • Sources- Le Monde Diplomatique, Al Jazeera (Usaid Siddiqui, Mohammed Hussein, Owais Zaheel, Mohammed Haddad- Thank you brothers!) and Sipri which is an independent International institute – STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL PEACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (sipri) – Thanks for the information.

NOTE : Les points de vue exprimés dans cette rubrique ne reflètent pas nécessairement ceux de la rédaction.

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