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War in Georgia: The Israeli connection
For
past seven years, Israeli companies have been helping Gerogian army to
preparer for war against Russia through arms deals, training of
infantry units and security advice
Arie Egozi
| Latest Update: | 08.10.08, 11:53 / Israel News |
The fighting which broke out over the weekend between Russia and Georgia has brought
Israel's intensive involvement in the region into the limelight. This
involvement includes the sale of advanced weapons to Georgia and the
training of the Georgian army's infantry forces.
The Defense Ministry held a special meeting Sunday to discuss the
various arms deals held by Israelis in Georgia, but no change in policy
has been announced as of yet.
"The subject is closely monitored," said
sources in the Defense Ministry. "We are not operating in any way which
may counter Israeli interests. We have turned down many requests
involving arms sales to Georgia; and the ones which have been approves
have been duly scrutinized. So far, we have placed no limitations on
the sale of protective measures."
Israel began selling arms to Georgia about seven years ago following an
initiative by Georgian citizens who immigrated to Israel and became
businesspeople.
"They contacted defense industry officials and arms dealers and
told them that Georgia had relatively large budgets and could be
interested in purchasing Israeli weapons," says a source involved in
arms exports.
The military cooperation between the countries developed
swiftly. The fact that Georgia's defense minister, Davit Kezerashvili,
is a former Israeli who is fluent in Hebrew contributed to this
cooperation.
"His door was always open to the Israelis who came and offered
his country arms systems made in Israel," the source said. "Compared to
countries in Eastern Europe, the deals in this country were conducted
fast, mainly due to the defense minister's personal involvement."
Among the Israelis who took advantage of the opportunity and
began doing business in Georgia were former Minister Roni Milo and his
brother Shlomo, former director-general of the Military Industries,
Brigadier-General (Res.) Gal Hirsch and Major-General (Res.) Yisrael
Ziv.
Roni Milo conducted business in Georgia for Elbit Systems and
the Military Industries, and with his help Israel's defense industries
managed to sell to Georgia remote-piloted vehicles (RPVs), automatic
turrets for armored vehicles, antiaircraft systems, communication
systems, shells and rockets.
According to Israeli sources, Gal Hirsch gave the Georgian army
advice on the establishment of elite units such as Sayeret Matkal and
on rearmament, and gave various courses in the fields of combat
intelligence and fighting in built-up areas.
'Don't anger the Russians'
The Israelis operating in Georgia attempted to convince the Israeli
Aerospace Industries to sell various systems to the Georgian air force,
but were turned down. The reason for the refusal was "special"
relations created between the Aerospace Industries and Russia in terms
of improving fighter jets produced in the former USSR and the fear that
selling weapons to Georgia would anger the Russians and prompt them to
cancel the deals.
Israelis' activity in Georgia and the deals they struck there
were all authorized by the Defense Ministry. Israel viewed Georgia as a
friendly state to which there is no reason not to sell arms systems
similar to those Israel exports to other countries in the world.
As the tension between Russia and Georgia grew, however,
increasing voices were heard in Israel – particularly in the Foreign
Ministry – calling on the Defense Ministry to be more selective in the
approval of the deals with Georgia for fear that they would anger
Russia.
"It was clear that too many unmistakable Israeli systems in the
possesion of the Georgian army would be like a red cloth in the face of
a raging bull as far as Russia is concerned," explained a source in the
defense establishment.
For inctance, the Russians viewed the operation of the Elbit System's RPVs as a real provocation.
"It was clear that the Russians were angry," says a defense
establishment source, "and that the interception of three of these RPVs
in the past three months was an expression of this anger. Not everyone
in Israel understood the sensitive nerve Israel touched when it
supplied such an advanced arms system to a country whose relations with
Russia are highly tense."
In May it was eventually decide to approve future deals with
Georgia only for the sale of non-offensive weapon systems, such as
intelligence, communications and computer systems, and not to approve
deals for the sale of rifles, aircraft, sells, etc.
A senior source in the Military Industry said Saturday that
despite some reporters, the activity of Georgia's military industry was
extremely limited.
"We conducted a small job for them several years ago," he said. "The rest of the deals remained on paper."
Dov Pikulin, one of the owners of the Authentico company
specializing in trips and journeys to the area, says however that "the
Israeli is the main investor in the Georgian economy. Everyone is
there, directly or indirectly."
Georgian minister: Israel should be proud
"The Israelis should be proud of themselves for the Israeli training
and education received by the Georgian soldiers," Georgian Minister
Temur Yakobashvili said Saturday.
Yakobashvili is a Jew and is fluent in Hebrew. "We are now in a
fight against the great Russia," he said, "and our hope is to receive
assistance from the White House, because Georgia cannot survive on its
own.
"It's important that the entire world
understands that what is happening in Georgia now will affect the
entire world order. It's not just Georgia's business, but the entire
world's business."
One of the Georgian parliament members did not settle Saturday for
the call for American aid, urging Israel to help stop the Russian
offensive as well: "We need help from the UN and from our friends,
headed by the United States and Israel. Today Georgia is in danger –
tomorrow all the democratic countries in the region and in the entire
world will be in danger too."
Zvi Zinger and Hanan Greenberg contributed to this report
| First Published: | 08.10.08, 09:59 |