Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., February 08, 2008 Adar1 2, 5768 | | Israel Time: 04:02 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 18:34 07/02/2008 Colombian defense minister says ties with Israel are strong By The Associated Press Tags: Colombia, Shimon Peres  Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos on Thursday praised his country's long defense relationship with Israel, saying he sought to boost it further by setting up a bilateral fund for technological research and development. Hosting Santos at his official Jerusalem residence, President Shimon Peres said that in the 1950s, Colombia defied international embargoes to ship weapons to the newly created Jewish state, a statement from Peres' office said. "In recent years the situation has come full circle, and Israel is able to repay Columbia in kind," it quoted Peres as saying, without elaborating. Advertisement Israel does not publish details of its arms exports but local media reports have said it is a major supplier of military hardware and expertise to Colombia. Israeli media reported last week that Israel has been supplying Bogota with drone aircraft, arms, ammunition and electronic equipment for use in combatting the country's drug lords, quoting the Colombian weekly Semana as saying that Santos had confirmed that Israeli advisers had been working with his men. "I have come to strengthen cooperation, not only in the defense field but in every area," Peres' office quoted Santos as saying. Israeli government data list overall exports to Colombia last year as worth $151 million. During a fall trip by Santos to Washington, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called on Congress to extend a freeze of $55 million in military assistance to Colombia and ask the minister to explain what the groups called a steep rise in reports of illegal executions by the country's military. Information on Santos' visit to Israel was scanty. The Colombian Embassy in Israel said only that he arrived Sunday and was scheduled to return home on Friday. The Foreign Ministry referred inquiries to the Defense Ministry, where officials said Santos had met his Israeli host Ehud Barak but gave no details of their talks. One issue the two were expected to discuss was the fate of a former Israeli army officer wanted by Colombia for training the country's right-wing death squads. Yair Klein, a former lieutenant colonel, was detained last August at a Moscow airport on an arrest warrant issued by Interpol. Bogota is seeking his extradition. A Colombian judge convicted and sentenced Klein in his absence to 10 years in prison for his role in the 1980s training of far-right paramilitary groups responsible for mass murder and widespread land theft. Klein and two other Israelis are also accused of training the private army of druglord Pablo Escobar, shot dead by police in 1993 Bookmark to del.icio.us   Baghdad, Interrupted Movie star Angelina Jolie takes on Iraq as UN goodwill ambassador. Unwanted praise Hezbollah leader Nasrallah compliments on the Winograd Committee report.   1.   planning for aggression against Venezuela 22:20  |  pla 07/02/08   2.   to #1 23:10  |  alp 07/02/08   3.   #1 00:34  |  Colombian 08/02/08   4.   right on! 01:18  |  colombian jew 08/02/08   5.   Israel and dictatorships 02:42  |  Daniel 08/02/08   6.   Thank you Columbia for your Friendship 03:34  |  Jewish American 08/02/08

Today Online Seven Gazans killed in IDF raid; 7 Qassams hit Negev Responses: 159 Barak vows harsher IDF response to Qassam fire Responses: 241 Senator: U.S. to shun UN racism meet over anti-Israel agenda Responses: 177 Egyptian FM: Whoever breaks border will have his legs broken Responses: 108 Vatican rejects criticism of new prayer for conversion of Jews Responses: 282 Rosner's Domain Why Connecticut Jews voted for Obama (WTR) The Jewish vote: Obama carried Massachusetts, Connecticut From Super Bowl drama to Super Tuesday drama True or false: Obama is pro-Palestinian, McCain will appoint James Baker Obama, Clinton and Iran: The vote that made the difference More Headlines 03:24 Syria upgrades missiles thanks to Iranian support 03:26 ANALYSIS: Major IDF operation in Gaza back on the agenda 01:50 IDF kills 8 Palestinians; Israel drops electricity supply to Gaza 21:50 Hamas rejects Abbas proposal to broker cease-fire with Israel 02:59 Archbishop of Canterbury backs limited use of Shariah law in U.K. 03:29 Grave near Kiev is reminder of 20th century's only blood libel 23:19 Romney quits U.S. presidential race, takes shot at Europe 20:12 Qatar PM sues Kuwaiti paper which criticized his ties to Israel 19:21 Angelina Jolie visits Baghdad to highlight plight of Iraqi refugees 02:03 Eight arrested in Israeli Embassy attack in Mauritania 02:36 Arab MK Tibi okays consideration of rightist MK's 'racist' bill 18:34 Colombian defense minister says ties with Israel are strong 01:55 Hamas confiscates humanitarian aid trucks sent to Gaza from Jordan Previous Editions Select Day 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 01 feb 31 jan 30 jan 29 jan 28 jan 27 jan 25 jan

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