No Aussie arms embargo on Israel
SUGGESTIONS that the Australian Government is considering an arms embargo against Israel have been quashed.
NAOMI LEVIN
SUGGESTIONS that the Australian Government is considering an arms embargo against Israel have been quashed. Earlier this month the British Government suspended a number of arms export licences to Israel in response to the war in Gaza earlier this year.
A number of international news reports suggested Australia had considered doing the same thing, but a spokesperson for the Department of Defence rejected the claim.
“The Australian Government is not considering an arms trade embargo on Israel,” the spokesperson said.
The value of Australia’s defence exports to Israel is miniscule. About $10 million of defence and strategic goods was sent to Israel between 2008 and 2009.
The defence spokesperson added: “Australia complies with all mandatory United Nations sanctions in considering export applications.”
At the moment, Australia does not sell defence material to countries including Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia and Lebanon. In addition, Australia has other autonomous, non UN-specified sanctions against countries including Zimbabwe, Burma and Fiji.
The British Foreign Office recently announced that five of the 182 licences for arms to Israel had been rejected.
Media reports suggested that the five rejected export requests were in relation to spare parts for the Sa’ar 4.5 gunships, which allegedly fired on Gaza during the 23-day war earlier this year.
“Some of the licences have been revoked, but it’s very short of being an arms embargo or sanctions of any kind,” a spokesperson for the British embassy in Israel said.
“In light of Operation Cast Lead, and in line with our obligations after a conflict -— and as we did after last summer’s conflict in Georgia -— we conducted a review of extant export licences for Israel,” the spokesperson said.
WITH AGENCIES
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