"The value of Canada’s arms trade with Israel has been accelerating in the last few years, and in 2022 was at the third-highest level on record. Canada transferred over $20 million in arms to Israel in 2022, including explosives and aircraft components."
January 9, 2024
I appreciated reading Mr Dyer’s dire warning to President Biden and others about the US and Israel’s perpetuating their war on Gaza to save Mr Netanyahu’s political skin.
But given Mr Dyer’s expertise as a war historian I would have thought he would also report on the incentives for weapons and arms manufacturers to also perpetuating the Israeli purchase of bombs, tanks, drones, and guns.
Even before Oct 7 the US would send more than $3.8 billion a year in weapons to Israel. And now Congress and Biden are planning to send $14.5 billion. I am not sure that includes illegal cluster bombs as the US has sent to Ukraine.
Moreover the value of Canada’s arms trade with Israel has been accelerating in the last few years, and in 2022 was at the third-highest level on record. Canada transferred over $20 million in arms to Israel in 2022, including explosives and aircraft components. Canada has a legal responsibility under the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), and its harmonized domestic legislation, to ensure its arms exports are not used in the commission of serious violations of international law, or serious violence against women and children. However, there is no indication that Canada is evaluating export permits to Israel based on this criteria, and Canada continues to transfer weapons in violation of the ATT.
I look forward to Mr Dyer’s next column where he can surely provide a full analysis of the financial incentives for the US Israeli war machine to keep on killing 1000’s of civilians in Gaza and wiping out the infrastructure of the entire Gaza Strip.
William Roberts