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Europeans embargo sale of defense supplies to Israel

By Amnon Barzilai

Germany, France and England are imposing an embargo on sales of
certain defense equipment to Israel, a senior defense official here
said yesterday. Reports from Israeli missions in Europe say that
nearly all western European countries have delayed or are dragging
their feet providing export approval to parts for security purposes.
The steps were taken without any formal decision by the European
Union.

As a result of the delays, parts for the Merkava tank engine and gear
box have been delayed in Germany for more than three months. The
parts are for both current generation Merkava V-IIIs and for the next
generation of the tank, the V-IV, which goes into production in early
2003.

German authorities are not confirming there is an embargo on the
parts. Defense Ministry Director-General Amos Yaron talked it over
with his counterpart at the German Defense Ministry and with German
Foreign Minister Joschke Fischer. Both said they would look into the
matter.

Defense Ministry sources said the steps against Israel were taken in
the wake of international reports that Merkava tanks are being used
in the hostilities against the Palestinians. As a result, Green
organizations that support the German government coalition applied
heavy pressure on the Social Democrats in Germany to cease all
defense sales to Israel. The Greens object to any German involvement
where there is violence, and oppose any military aid to those places
where violence takes place.

The cooperation between Germany and Israel on the Merkava began in
the beginning of the 1980s with technology know-how transfers
regarding the power train and gears of the tank. The know-how was
given to the Ashot plant in Ashkelon, a subsidiary of Israel Military
Industries. The cooperation widened in recent years when a 1,500
horsepower engine made by Germany's MTU corporation was chosen for
the V-IV. The company built the engines for the three new German-made
submarines currently in the Israeli navy.

The experience with MTU was widened to include American involvement,
with General Dynamics, manufacturers of the Abrams tank, which is
equipped with an MTU engine. Because of the three-way venture, Israel
is able to use American military grant funds to make purchases from
Germany.

According to Yaron, he is in touch with the German government on the
issue, and the delays should be regarded as "temporary."

Cool, now they can buy our stuff!!!

They ought to anyway, dammint. They're buying it with OUR MONEY.