Watan – The website “The Cardl” published a report on how Arab regimes that normalized relations with Israel funded its war on Gaza and its resistance. The report stated that throughout its short history, Israel has incited brutal acts against both the Palestinian people and neighboring Arab countries. It often used internationally prohibited chemicals, such as white phosphorus, which was deployed against Gaza and Lebanon in recent days.
The report explained that in the midst of its ongoing war against the Gaza Strip, the occupying state enjoyed a great deal of freedom, largely due to Western support, especially from Washington, which prides itself on being a global champion of human rights. However, according to the report, it is not only Western countries that support Israel’s military capabilities today. A deep analysis revealed that a significant portion of the funding for the Israeli military industry now comes from Arab countries that have recently normalized relations with the occupying state.
Growth of Israel’s Defense Industry: According to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), between 2018 and 2022, the vast majority – 99% – of Israel’s arms imports came from the United States and Germany. During this period, Israel imported weapons worth $2.7 billion, with 79% coming from the United States ($2.1 billion) and 20% from Germany ($546 million).
In 2016, under the administration of former President Barack Obama, the commitment to Tel Aviv was further enhanced with a 10-year memorandum (2019-2028), pledging a staggering $38 billion in military aid to Israel, equivalent to more than $3 billion annually.
Israel’s Unprecedented Boom in Arms Exports: The report highlighted that in 2022, two years after the Abraham Accords, which led to the normalization of relations between Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, the Israeli defense industry experienced an unprecedented boom in exports totaling $12.5 billion, a record since World War II and Israel’s establishment 75 years ago.
Arab Countries Fund the Israeli War Economy: A report from the Israeli Ministry of Defense revealed the unexpected financial gains that normalization brought to the arms industry in the occupying state. In 2022 alone, 24% (equivalent to $3 billion) of Israeli military exports found their way to Arab countries that established official relations with Israel. This represents a significant increase from 16.5% the previous year. In 2021, Bahrain and the UAE alone accounted for 7.5% ($853 million) of Israeli arms exports.
The report emphasized the significant role these Arab countries play as major contributors to the Israeli military-industrial complex and its economy. However, the painful reality behind the financial intervention of Arab countries is the killing of more than 4,137 Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children, and the injury of more than 13,000 others during just over a week of the Israeli military’s massacre against Palestinians in Gaza.