Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., August 07, 2008 Av 6, 5768 | | Israel Time: 15:37 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 17:42 05/08/2008
Following Russian pressure, Israel freezes defense sales to Georgia
By The Associated Press
Tags: Russia, Israel, Georgia, Iran

Israel has decided to halt all sales of military equipment to Georgia because of objections from Russia, which is locked in a feud with its tiny Caucasus neighbor, defense officials said Tuesday.

The officials said the freeze was partially intended to give Israel leverage with Moscow in its attempts to persuade Russia not to ship arms and equipment to Iran. They spoke on condition of anonymity as Israel does not officially publish details of its arms sales.

Russia has repeatedly refused to comment on reports its is selling S-300 air defense missiles to Iran.
Advertisement
Among items Israel has been selling to Tbilisi are pilotless drone aircraft. Russian fighters shot one down in May, according to UN observers.

Russia sent Israel a letter of protest after the shooting incident asking it to stop supplying military hardware to Georgia as Russia from time to time complies with Israel's requests not to supply weapons systems to states seen as threatening Israel, according to a report Tuesday in the Israeli daily Maariv.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry declined to comment Tuesday on the reported arms trade freeze.

Georgian Cabinet minister Temur Yakobashvili denied the report.

"There has been no decision by Israel to stop selling weapons. The gossip about that in the Israeli media is linked to the internal political process in Israel," Yakobashvili said.

Israel is one of the world's leading arms exporters but does not detail the contents or value of its trade with individual countries.

In addition to the spy drones, Israel has also been supplying Georgia with infantry weapons and electronics for artillery systems, and has helped upgrade Soviet-designed Su-25 ground attack jets assembled in Georgia, according to Koba Liklikadze, an independent military expert based in Tbilisi. Former Israeli generals also serve as advisers to the Georgian military.

Israeli officials have been warning of a possible military strike against what it says is a nuclear weapons program under development by Tehran. The sale by Russia of anti-aircraft weapons could help Iran fend off an attack.

Iran denies it has nuclear arms ambitions, saying its program is for peaceful purposes.

The disagreement between Russia and Georgia centers on two breakaway Georgian provinces which have close ties with Russia.

Related articles:
  • For Georgia's president, Ben-Gurion in the mirror
  • Georgian Israelis to Merkel: Don't block NATO entry
  • Georgia on his mind
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Party for a killer
    Arabic TV station hosts birthday party for convicted child killer Samir Kuntar.
    Hamas to blame
    Noam Shalit says his son Gilad is holding Gaza hostage, and not the other way around.
      1.   CLASSIC Cave-In By Kadima 18:12  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 05/08/08
      2.   Israel at least now has some leverage 18:34  |  Me 05/08/08
      3.   The "Yes Man" among nations 19:26  |  Yanosh 05/08/08
      4.   TO #2 19:30  |  Ari 05/08/08
      5.   1 19:44  |  In Addition 05/08/08
      6.   very good development 19:57  |  Vitaly 05/08/08
      7.   Gazprom poltics at work 20:36  |  Sens 05/08/08
      8.   # 6 vitaly 20:50  |  Axel 05/08/08
      9.   #8 axel 21:23  |  Vitaly 05/08/08
      10.   #6: The more Russia gets rid of losers like Vitaly, the more I 22:14  |  Andreas 05/08/08
      11.   to #10 Andreas from Basel / Bobruysk 22:48  |  Vitaly 05/08/08
      12.   # 8 vitaly 22:53  |  Axel 05/08/08
      13.   Counter the Russian Pressure 23:11  |  Brod 05/08/08
      14.   #9 vitaly and to add 23:29  |  Axel 05/08/08
      15.   Olmert will kowtow to anyone 23:40  |  Michael 05/08/08
      16.   You scratch my back...I`ll scratch yours 23:45  |  Avrum 05/08/08
      17.   Following Israeli pressure, Russia freezes defense sales to Iran 23:51  |  Mark 05/08/08
      18.   When your gas bill blasts through the ceiling. Andreas 23:51  |  Alex 05/08/08
      19.   # 17 alex 00:12  |  Axel 06/08/08
      20.   Putin Tries To Protect Mullahs and Israel Caves 00:34  |  Tod Zuckerman 06/08/08
      21.   What we should have done instead of caving in 01:11  |  Gee 06/08/08
      22.   And, vitaly 01:19  |  Axel 06/08/08
      23.   #17 Mark. What has Israel got to offer Russia? 01:27  |  Maureen Ann 06/08/08
      24.   Georgia is friendly to Israel 02:31  |  Slibovitz 06/08/08
      25.   #3 has a rather blinkered view 03:31  |  tired american 06/08/08
      26.   M<AUREE Cross border kidnapping of Israelis by Lebs.was invasion 07:54  |  PETER SM 06/08/08
      27.   Axel - you really don`t understand 15:13  |  durak 07/08/08
     Read & React
    Israel to free more than 150 Palestinian prisoners as gesture to Abbas
    Responses: 87
    Rights groups slam 'disgraceful' minor charge over shooting of bound Palestinian
    Responses: 95
    Israel to Hezbollah: We won't tolerate arms smuggling
    Responses: 91
    Al-Jazeera apologizes for 'unethical' coverage of Kuntar release
    Responses: 54
    Meron Benvenisti: If Sharon could just see Gaza now
    Responses: 13
    Rosner's Domain
    The reassuring candidacy of Eric Cantor (WTR)
    Congress likely to see record number of Jewish legislators
    Israel looking for leader and agenda, but finds neither
    On Peter Rodman, Lebanon and Syria


    More Headlines
    15:06 Barak: IDF preparing for 'uncompromising' victory if attacked by Iran
    15:35 European parliament chief: EU ready to broker Israel-Syria talks
    15:21 British consulate: Settlers attack U.K. diplomats on Hebron tour
    15:06 Israel warns Hezbollah: We won't tolerate arms smuggling
    14:58 Bar-On throws support behind Livni for Kadima party chair
    15:14 IDF colonel and soldier charged in shooting of bound Palestinian
    10:34 Hamas transforms former Gaza settlement into movie lot
    14:14 Nazi hunter: Lithuania hunts ex-partisans, lets war criminals roam free
    15:37 Al-Jazeera admits to 'unethical' behavior over Kuntar party
    13:00 Legendary basketball coach Ralph Klein passes away, aged 77
    12:21 Egypt seizes huge amount of fuel from 20 Gaza tunnels
    11:53 Two days before his first Olympics, Israeli swimmer learns of father's death
    10:00 ANALYSIS / If Israelis bought Hezbollah swap scheme, why not one with Hamas?
    08:49 Poll: Secular candidate would crush Haredi MK in Jerusalem mayoral elections
    05:33 Babysitter prevents kidnap of Jerusalem children by their father
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Isaac Maimon at Dreamshoppe
    Special summer sale. Make an offer now. You will be surprised.
    MBA in Israel in English
    APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Yossi Avrahami Presents:
    New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat
    Your vacation starts here
    Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved