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Georgia violence / A frozen alliance By Yossi Melman Tags: Gal Hirsch, Israel, Georgia  Aides of Shimon Peres insist that Georgia was not born yesterday during the president's meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. It is hard to believe that Putin, whose country is at war with Georgia, did not raise the matter during the talks - especially given that Georgia considers Israel an ally and a supplier of military hardware, technology and advisers. In recent weeks the Georgians had stepped up their requests for support, but Israel, in line with foreign and defense ministry policy, toughened its stance. This essentially halted Israel's military involvement in Georgia, a move meant to avoid friction with Russia. Russia had relayed to Israeli diplomats on a number of occasions that it was concerned with Israel's military assistance to Georgia. Israel's cessation of military assistance runs contrary to the policies of other Western countries, including the United States, as well as Ukraine, which continues providing arms and equipment to Georgia. Advertisement The defense links between Israel and Georgia began almost immediately following independence, with the break-up of the Soviet Union, and the civil war of the 1990s, involving the two breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Ties were naturally close, in part because there is a large Georgian community in Israel. Planned upgrades for the Georgian air force, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, did not come to fruition because the newly independent republic was strapped for cash. Only in recent years have Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and his Defense Minister David Kezerashvili, who has strong ties in Israel, decided to step up defense procurement - in part because of the growing tensions over the breakaway regions and due to friction with Russia, which backs the separatists. They turned to Israel and have received nearly $500 million in equipment since 2000. This included unmanned aerial vehicles, other electronic systems, intelligence equipment, ammunition, command and control equipment and training. A figure central to the defense consulting activities in Georgia was Brigadier General (res.) Gal Hirsch, a former commander in the Second Lebanon War who resigned following the release of the interim Winograd Committee report. Also involved was Maj. Gen. Yoram Yair and other officers from the Shin Bet security service, the police's counter-terrorist unit, and representatives of the Elbit and Rafael military industry firms. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A Model Zionist How did Bar Rafaeli conquer the U.S. blogs and gossip columns? A lost pillar Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish to be laid to rest in Ramallah, mourned for 3 days.

Read & React Foreign Ministry: Israel recognizes Georgia's territorial sovereignty Responses: 125 Gideon Levy: Livni, Mofaz, Barak, Bibi - none of them will end the occupation Responses: 60 In depth / Contrary to popular belief, war with Iran is not imminent Responses: 49 Editorial: Freeing 450 Palestinian prisoners for Shalit will not harm our security Responses: 23 Were Jewish partisans depicted in new Hollywood movie murderers or heroes? Responses: 78 More Headlines 23:13 Barak: Invasion of Gaza won't stop rocket attacks 01:13 PA: We may demand binational Israel-Palestinian state 00:46 Jewish Georgian minister: Thanks to Israeli training, we're fending off Russia 22:35 Russia declares itself ready to make peace with Georgia 22:11 Supermodel Bar Refaeli - the first international Zionist celebrity 23:15 Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish to be laid to rest in Ramallah 23:12 Two Israeli swimmers secure places in Olympics semifinals 18:36 Haaretz newsletter: All the news from Israel direct to your inbox 21:13 PA orders West Bank schools, charities closed due to suspected Hamas ties 18:32 Were Jewish partisans depicted in new Hollywood movie murderers or heroes? 16:40 Despite regional tensions, Russia's Israeli basketball coach shakes hands with Iranian team 17:40 Slain Assad aide reportedly gave anti-aircraft missiles to Hezbollah 15:42 On Tisha B'Av, rightists see Gush Katif as symbol of loss Previous Editions Select Day 10 aug 08 aug 07 aug 06 aug 05 aug 04 aug 03 aug 01 aug 31 jul 30 jul 29 jul 28 jul

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