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US demands Israel confiscate Chinese-owned drones

M

maddogchen

Diamond Member
JERUSALEM (AP) - The United States has demanded Israel confiscate Chinese-owned drone aircraft that were sent to Israel for an upgrade, an Israeli military official said Wednesday.

The demand puts Israel in the awkward position of having to either defy the United States, its main ally, or China, a growing market for Israeli high-tech and military exports.

The argument centres on a shipment of Harpy drones that Israel sold to China in the early 1990s. The planes are designed to destroy radar stations or anti-aircraft batteries. China shipped the unmanned attack planes back to Israel earlier this year for a technological upgrade.

The United States demanded Israel keep them. Israel has not yet decided whether to return the drones or give in to the American demand, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Israeli Defence Ministry had no comment.

In Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry (news - web sites) spokesman said officials were aware of the reports but had no immediate comment.

The United States, which fears the military technology could be used to threaten Taiwan and endanger U.S. forces in case of war with China, torpedoed a $2 billion ($2.5 billion Cdn) Israeli-Chinese deal in 2000.

Although China blamed the United States for interfering in the sale of PHALCON reconnaissance planes, Israel said the botched deal caused lingering ill will between the countries that was resolved only after Israel paid China reparations.

Israeli-Chinese ties have recovered, and Israel's military industries are believed to have extensive links with China's People's Liberation Army, including help in the development of Chinese jet fighters.

Neither the Harpy system nor the PHALCON have U.S.-made parts or technology. Under American regulations, the United States can veto export of its systems to third countries, but its veto of the Israel-China deals is based only on the closeness of Israel-U.S. relations.
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Sounds a bit unfair to ask them to confiscate a product that they already sold to the customer a while back. So with a poll what do you think will happen?
 
The US will just threaten to keep all of the Israeli weapons we gave them when they ship them back for technology upgrades if they don't do what we say.
 
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