Arab states account for quarter of record Israel arms exports

Israeli defense exports reached a record high of $12.5 billion last year, as per officials on Wednesday. Approximately one-fourth of the purchase contracts came from Arab countries that recently established diplomatic relations with Israel.

“The Israeli defense ministry, responsible for overseeing and approving defense exports, stated that 25 percent of the deals were for drone systems, while missiles, rockets, and air defense systems accounted for an additional 19 percent.”

“Statistics from the ministry indicate that total exports have doubled over the past nine years. Notably, there has been a significant increase in exports to countries involved in the Abraham Accords. These agreements, brokered by the United States in 2020, led to the normalization of ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. In 2021, exports to Abraham Accords countries amounted to $853 million (nine percent), but this figure rose to $2.96 billion (24 percent) in 2022.”

“The defense ministry declined to provide further specifics regarding the export destinations. However, defense ministry director general Eyal Zamir emphasized that global instability has driven the demand for Israeli air defense systems, drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and missiles. The ministry is committed to maintaining and enhancing these capabilities.”

“In related news, the German parliament was expected to approve a $4.3 billion deal on Wednesday to acquire Israel’s Arrow 3 air defense system. This decision comes as Germany aims to strengthen its defenses in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.”