EU threatens Israel with arms embargo
|
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Wednesday, April 10, 2002
LONDON Ñ Israel is facing the threat of an arms embargo by the
European
Union.
Several EU countries have relayed warnings that they would halt military
supplies to Israel unless it ends the military campaign in the West Bank.
They said the EU will debate proposals for an embargo on Israel concerning
all products that could be used in the war against the Palestinian
Authority.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has been lobbying member states to
declare an embargo when EU foreign ministers meet on Monday in Luxembourg.
Solana distributed the text of a speech he had planned to give to the
European Parliament on Tuesday that called for an embargo against Israel.
But Solana, without explanation, discarded his text and did not call for
a halt in weapons shipments to Israel.
"I appreciate the measures already taken by some member states to halt
or suspend supplies to Israel of military equipment and spare parts that may
be used in action against civilians," Solana said in the prepared text.
So far, Belgium, Britain, France, Germany and Italy are said to be
considering a weapons embargo against Israel. Belgian Foreign Minister Louis
Michel has already announced that Brussels would end all military sales to
Israel. Belgium is a supplier of light weapons for security forces.
Industry sources said such countries as Britain and Germany have already
slowed down or halted the export of weapons or components to Israel. This
has included equipment for Israel's Merkava Mk-4 main battle tank.
"We can confirm there is a delay in giving export licenses from Germany
for various components," an Israeli Defense Ministry statement said.
The Defense Ministry has ordered parts for the Merkava's GD 883 engine
and transmission. Israel is Germany's seventh largest defense client and has
purchased 177 million euros in such tank and submarine systems in 2000.
German officials acknowledge that Berlin has withheld components for the
Merkava since January. They said that in all Germany has blocked 120 export
licenses.
Last month, Israeli Defense Ministry director-general Amos Yaron
appealed to visiting German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer to expedite the
approval of the export licenses. Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
issued a similar appeal to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
Israel plans to produce around 400 Merkava Mk-4 tanks over the next four
years. Each tank is estimated to cost about $3.7 million.
The Merkava Mk-4 is scheduled to be exhibited for the first time during
Independence Day celebrations next week. Several Mk-4 tanks are already
being used for training and trial tests by the military's armored corps.
|