Argentine US-built LVTP-7 in Port Stanley, Falklands:
Posted on 08/29/2016 12:12:43 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
The British Foreign Office has recently declassified documents that allegedly prove that Israel sold weapons to Argentina during the 1982 Falklands War between the Latin American nation and the UK.
The British government's National Archives department released the files dated November 16, 1984, which include a memorandum from a senior British diplomat who provided details on the Israeli arms sales to Argentina, the London-based Telegraph reported Wednesday.
“Israel was one of the few countries to supply Argentina with arms during the Falklands conflict and has continued to do so,” wrote C.W. Long, the UK Foreign Office's then head of the Near East and North Africa region, in one of the documents.
The now disclosed files further substantiate claims made in a book published in 2011 that purported to expose Israel's armament of General Leopoldo Galtieri's Argentine junta forces by secretly routing weapons shipments to Buenos Aires via Peru. In his book Operation Israel, Argentine journalist Hernan Dobry wrote of the Israeli weapons sales during the war and Jerusalem's denial at the time of such actions.
The newly-released files that list evidence cited by British diplomats also reportedly note that Israel provided military equipment, including bomber jets, to Argentina's junta prior to the war and continued with the exports for years thereafter.
The declassified records add that Israel was prepared to sell espionage aircraft to the junta, and that former British foreign secretary Geoffrey Howe had called for the exchange not to be implemented.
However, the logs show that Long believed that Israel would pay no heed to the British request.
“I do not believe the Israelis are to be moved on this issue,” the Telegraph quoted him as writing. “This is not satisfactory, but Israeli interests in Argentina will outweigh any readiness they might otherwise feel to be helpful to us.”
At the time, ties were strained between allies Britain and Israel over the First Lebanon War while charges emerged that then Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin had approved the weapons' supply to Argentina.
The Argentine military dictatorship, or junta, that ruled at the time faced increased opposition following their defeat in the ten-week conflict over the sovereignty of the Falkland islands, and relinquished power the next year in 1983.
Whatever the ins and outs of British/Israeli relations in the late 1940s (and there was as much helping as hindering by the British, albeit usually clumsy) it’s worth remembering that the British (with the French) were the main arms suppliers to Israel in its early years, long before the US took over that role. The 6-day war was won by British Centurion tanks.
Yeah. It needs to be recognized that Israel was cultivating friends wherever they could find them — even to the extent that those relationships might remain covert. And given that the Brits have always been ambivalent about Israel is this really so surprising?
Israel also was on pretty good terms with Turkey at the time. I’m sure that was so that the Assad regime had to keep one eye over its shoulder.
Based on their administration of the Palestine Mandate, the forcible barring of post-Holocaust survivors landing there, the British Establishment’s well known anti-Semitism, and the dominance of Arabists in Whitehall, can somebody explain to me why the Israelis should not have pulled the lion’s tail when they got the chance? We have, or used to have, a special relationship with Britain. Israel’s relationship with her is a lot less “special”.
If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Not sure I see much of an issue here. Releasing historical information is a good thing. The Brits don't seem to be complaining, given the White Paper pre WWII which cost who knows how many Jewish lives, and their, and most of the world's, boycott of arms sales to Israel during the 1948 war, they're in no position to complain. Not to mention when they needed a Mideast ally in 1956, who do they and the French turn to? The French at least supported Israel till the 67 war. As to the US, we were publicly neutral, though Reagan was said to be pro UK behind the scenes, Haig pro Argentina. Worth remembering at that time we were supporting the Contras in their attempt to displace the Sandanistas. General Galtieri was a strong supporter of the effort, supplying the Contras and training their leadership. Reagan considered Argentina an ally in our fight against Communism in the hemisphere. I know, sounds like a neocon. Pure speculation, but I wonder if there's any connection between supplying arms to Argentina and Israel's later participation in Iran contra.
What’s with the semantics.
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I guess Germany shouldn’t have minded us selling equipment to England.
If I recall correctly, Argentina hid a lot of nazis.
If it is true, it was wrong to do.
It is what it is and it’s past, but it was wrong.
England followed us into that Iraq folly as a loyal friend.
They’ve been there when others haven’t.
Israel should have stopped selling out of respect for our relationship AND the differences the two countries stood for at the time. Thatcher was a good woman.
It does sound like a neocon, you’re right.
So then it’s ok?
England has stood by us when almost NO other country has.
Boy is that forgotten fast around here.
How would Israel feel if England started selling weapons to the Palestinians? They would go ballistic.
sadly it seems whatever we give them eventually they transfer to the Chinese.
if you raise one little peep about it then you’re a Nazi.
how do you help Israel but avoid ending up fighting your own precious equipment..?
the UK is and has always been a good friend of Israel, yet one of the favorite stories in Israel is the one about the Scorpion and the Frog.
they might as well tell the story about themselves.
That whole Falklands war was a fiasco if I remember. I few Argentine dug in , fly overs on a couple paltry fishing islands with the whole bloody Brit fleet bombing that rock. As this is post Falklands seems to be a non issue, maybe Aergentina restocking for their next fishing rights war.
You had me at White Paper.
Why would this be a surprise?
Argentina was flying Israeli, French, and American jets, using French anti-ship missiles. Everything high-tech weapon with which they fought, except the Pucara, was provided by another nation.
Was this a sale by the Israeli government? Or by an Israeli arms dealer, approved by the government or done in stealth?
I was told by a friend that the US provided sig/int support to the UK in the Falklands War. And active RF support masking it.
Two to Tango? Argentina Looking Everywhere for New Warplanes
Some noteworthy passages:
Britain’s defenses are also much more run down than they were in the 1980s, and their complete lack of a carrier force leaves ongoing protection of the islands’ surrounding economic zones to just 2-4 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, an offshore patrol vessel, and part of a regular navy ship rotation. Argentina’s window of opportunity will close when Britain’s advanced carrier force enters service in 2020, which has added urgency on both sides as Argentina tries to make a deal. Can Argentina find its partner?
[ SNIP ]
The good news for Britain, such as it is, is that Argentina still has to hang weapons on any fighters they buy. The FAA must either stick with their existing set of old equipment and forego most of the new fighter’s potential, or buy new weapons from the USA or Israel. Any new weapon sales would be a double escalation, making those sales less likely. The most dangerous Kfir-related sale, of Gabriel 3 anti-ship missiles, would make Britain an outright enemy of Israel’s. That won’t happen.
[ SNIP ]
Swedish JAS-39 Gripen fighters are the subject of talks with Brazil, but they use American F414 engines and British Martin-Baker ejection seats, to name only the most difficult substitutions. Indeed, about 30% of those planes are traceable to British firms – and Britain has stated that they will block such exports. The only sources free of American or European influence are Russia and China.
Thanks for clarification.
Argentine US-built LVTP-7 in Port Stanley, Falklands:
IMO, Israel looks to it’s own interests first and ignores the complaints of others.
Something we should emulate.
The only weapon specifilly referenced in the Post article was an unnamed “espionage aircraft”. So are we talking weapons that could have truly made a difference to the air-sea battle around the Falklands? Or are we talking about Ghalils & Uzis? I don’t know. I appreciate your outrage, but until I have something more specific I’ll reserve judgment.
I would like to see more information on this. What was it , who was it sold to and so on. They don't have the actual report to look at. With so many lies from the media. I simply don't believe anything they say anymore.
Also, note they use an unsourced book out of Argentina and mix that with actual data. Which means the article was heavily bias.
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