Israel world's 4th biggest arms exporter
Ministry of Defense director general Buchris: Israel exports more than $4 billion worth of arms.
Yael Gross-Englander 13 Dec 07 10:38
"Israel is the world's fourth biggest arms exporter," said Ministry of Defense director general Pinhas Buchris yesterday at a conference where he presented the new law on defense export regulation, which is due to come into force next month.
According to Buchris, Israel exports more than $4 billion in arms, more than the UK. Only the US, Russia, and France exported more than Israel. Buchris said the new law set down proper regulatory guidelines for the licensing of arms exporters, supervision, enforcement and the penalties for arms trafficking. Under the new law, offenders could face fines of up to NIS 10 million and five years in prison. Buchris said the new law aimed to tighten up existing regulation, and that a new wing had been formed in the ministry to oversee defense exports.
He added that the new law would take into account concerns about national security, foreign policy, abiding by international resolutions, and had been drafted so as to understand the concerns of foreign countries, and ensure compliance with international codes of practice on technological disclosure.
According the legal counsel to the defense establishment, one of the key issues that the law would address was arms brokering and trafficking. "Israel will not become a safe haven for people who export arms to places that the defense establishment has embargoed," he stressed, adding that the law would provide for severe penalties and administrative fines, in addition to criminal proceedings.
The Defense Ministry handles 30,000 applications for brokering permits a year, 5,000 applications for export licenses, and a further 70,000 applications for license renewals.
Amnesty International claims that Israel exports arms to regions in conflict, without monitoring its future use. It said it welcomed the new law and called for a greater effort by Israel to ensure its arms exports comply with standard practice in the EU and the US.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on December 13, 2007
