4 Western Countries are Main Suppliers of Israel's Arms: Here's the Detail

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israel's ongoing atrocities on Gaza have now entered its 10th month, marked by severe civilian casualties and widespread destruction, significantly fueled by Western arms. 

Despite global condemnation and calls for an end to arms sales, Germany, alongside the US, Italy, and the UK, continues to be the main supplier of military equipment for Israel.

These weapons are used to kill more than 38,000 Palestinians in Gaza and lay waste to almost the entire besieged enclave, where Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on essential supplies.

As reported by Anadolu,  back in April, the UN Human Rights Council approved a weapons embargo on Israel, with 28 countries voting in favor, six against, and 13 abstentions. Among those who opposed the proposal were the US and Germany, Israel’s top two sources of weapons.

What follows is a breakdown of the weapons and military support Western countries are providing to Israel.   

United States 

As the leading arms supplier to Israel, the US provided 69 percent of Tel Aviv's imports of conventional weapons between 2019 and 2023, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The US has significantly bolstered its military support for Israel, approving and delivering over 100 separate foreign military sales since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal attack in Gaza.

This substantial aid includes a wide array of weapons and munitions such as air defenses, precision-guided munitions (PGMs), artillery shells, tank rounds, and small arms, the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) reported.

By the end of March, the Biden administration had approved a US$2.5 billion sale of 25 F-35s and aircraft engines to Israel. This package also included the delivery of 1,800 MK-84 unguided bombs and 500 MK-82 unguided bombs.

The US and Israel also signed an agreement on June 4 for the sale of 25 F-35 aircraft.   

Germany

Germany is the second-biggest weapons exporter to Israel in terms of major conventional weapons, with over 25 percent of imports between 2019 and 2023. According to data from Workers in Palestine, Berlin has mainly supplied Israel with submarines, warships, vehicle and aircraft engines, and torpedoes, often covering a third of the cost as military aid.

In 2023, Germany made substantial arms exports to Israel, including two Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, 10 DM2A4 Seehecht torpedoes for Dolphin submarines, and numerous diesel engines for various military vehicles, as reported by SIPRI.

The Sa’ar 6 corvettes became operational during Israel's current offensive in Gaza. These warships have actively participated in offshore strikes and contributed to the Israeli Navy’s blockade of Gaza.

The Eitan Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), powered by German diesel engines, was fast-tracked into operational status in Gaza. Germany also exported diesel engines for Merkava-4 tanks, which are integral to Israel’s ground invasion and used in attacks on civilians and infrastructure in Gaza.

This January, German newsweekly Der Spiegel reported that Berlin agreed to supply Israel with 10,000 rounds of 120mm tank ammunition from its military stockpiles, following an Israeli request last November.   

Italy

Italy is the next biggest arms exporter to Tel Aviv, making up 0.9 percent of Israeli imports from 2019 to 2023, according to the SIPRI report. In the last quarter of 2023, Italy exported weapons and ammunition to Israel worth €2.1 million.

"In December alone, now in the midst of the bombings by the Israeli army and air force on the Gaza Strip, with catastrophic consequences for the civilian population, Italian exports reached 1.3 million euros," Italian news magazine Altreconomia reported.

According to Italy's National Statistics Institute (ISTAT), a notable portion of these exports pertains to categories such as rifles, spring guns, and similar weapons utilizing compressed air or gas.  

United Kingdom

Foreign Secretary David Cameron announced in April that the UK would not halt arms sales to Israel. 

London-based Action on Armed Violence reported that British companies such as BAE Systems remain engaged in supplying weaponry to Israel, including components for several fighter jets.

Human Rights Watch reported that the UK supplies about 15 percent of the F-35 stealth bomber components currently used in Gaza. In addition, there are 28 active and 28 pending UK military equipment licenses that could be used by Israel.

According to data from the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), the UK has authorized arms exports valued at £560 million to Israel since 2008. “This does not capture the full scale of UK military exports to Israel," said a CAAT report. “The most traceable exports from the UK to Israel are components for the F-35 fighter jet and the F-16 – both of which are used by the IDF in Gaza.” 

According to CAAT estimates, the value of the components supplied by the UK has been at least £336 million since 2016.

ANADOLU

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