Explainer | Who are Israel’s main weapons suppliers and who has halted exports?
- Wartime destruction of Gaza and killing of thousands has highlighted the role of the US, Israel’s biggest arms supplier
- Following are some details of Israel’s weapons suppliers, which includes Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Canada
The United States has suspended a shipment of weapons to Israel, including heavy, bunker-busting bombs Israeli forces have used in their war against Hamas militants in Gaza that has killed nearly 35,000 Palestinians in seven months.
US President Joe Biden acted in the face of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to pursue a military assault on the Gazan city of Rafah over Washington’s objections, given large numbers of vulnerable displaced people there.
The US is by far the largest arms supplier to its closest Middle East ally, followed by Germany – whose strong support for Israel reflects in part atonement for the Nazi Holocaust – and Italy.
Two countries, Canada and the Netherlands, have halted arms supplies to Israel over concerns they could be used in ways violating international humanitarian law – causing civilian casualties and destruction of living areas – in Gaza.
United States
The suspended arms delivery to Israel consisted of 1,800 2,000-pound (907kg) bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs, according to US officials. The decision arose from concerns about the “end-use of the 2,000-pound bombs and the impact they could have in dense urban settings (like Rafah) …,” a US official said.