Israel sold weapons to Argentina at height of Falklands War, declassified files show

Military jets sold to Argentine forces were used to bomb British warships, while arms sales continued even after the war was over

Israel was supplying the Argentine government with weapons at the height of the Falklands War, newly declassified Foreign Office files show.

The UK’s National Archives department has released files which cite evidence that Israeli weapons including Skyhawk jets were sold to Argentina prior to the war, which were later used to bomb British forces, killing 48 soldiers and sailors. 
The documents also show that Israel was still exporting arms in 1984, two years after the war was over, the Telegraph reports.

The files back up a book published in 2011 called Operation Israel, by Argentine journalist Hernan Dobry, which explained how Israel sent Argentina the weapons via secret cargo flights that went through Peru.
In addition, the Official History of the Falklands Campaign, by Lawrence Freedman says: “British troops entering Port Stanley at the end of the war came across Israeli equipment.”

By 1984, Israel no longer denied the arms sales were taking place, and argued that the deals were essential for sustaining the country’s arms industry.

“Israel was one of the few countries to supply Argentina with arms during the Falklands conflict and has continued to do so,” wrote C.W. Long, who was the UK Foreign Office's head of the Near East and North Africa region, in one of the documents.

The files also show that Israel was willing to sell Argentina spy planes and then Foreign Secretary, Geoffrey Howe, asked Israel not to go ahead with the sale.

But Mr Long thought Mr Howe’s intervention would not be heeded. He wrote: “I do not believe the Israelis are to be moved on this issue.”

“This is not satisfactory, but Israeli interests in Argentina will outweigh any readiness they might otherwise feel to be helpful to us.”

Four British warships were sunk by bombs dropped from Skyhawk jets, while another four were damaged.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-sold-weapons-argentina-falklands-war-declassified-files-foreign-office-a7209646.html



Well, at least they didn't drop bombs on our ships themselves, like they did with the USS Liberty.


And of course, Begin expressed his hatred for the British on many occasions and was PM at the time.   Paying back for the death of his Irgun terrorist comrades by proxy.

Such is life.

WOULDN'T surprise me if you found French and German weaponry in Argentina's arsenals, either..

And no doubt the Argentine military buys many of their guns off American companies...

Yep and we sell munitions illegally to Saudi that they use in Yemen to commit genocide there.

sassy wrote:Yep and we sell munitions illegally to Saudi that they use in Yemen to commit genocide there.

I wonder how arms dealers feel when seeing the victims either dead or mutilated from one of the missiles they sold just to make mega money?
Is the biggest yacht on earth worth one persons life?
I dont think so.