Tel Aviv: European nations continue, and in some cases are increasing the purchase of Israeli defence systems despite political tensions and public criticism of Israel’s military actions.
According to an Israeli ministry of defence source, the shopping list of some European countries are getting longer every month. The war in Ukraine and rising concerns regarding Russia have forced European countries to rapidly increase defence spending and replenish stockpiles.
As per the sources, European militaries increasingly seek advanced, operational systems—particularly in air defence, anti-drone tech, and missiles-defence where immediate European alternatives are scarce.
High-profile procurements, such as Germany’s acquisition of the Arrow 3 missile defence system and major deals with Greece and Finland, have driven Israeli defence exports to record highs.
Certain European governments, such as Spain and Italy – have implemented selective arms embargoes, cancelled specific contracts, or restricted participation by Israeli defence companies. Despite diplomatic friction and calls from some EU members to sanction or scale back trade agreements, national security priorities on the continent compel governments to purchase critical military hardware from Israel.
According to the source, some countries that have in the past discussed local production are now asking for the fast delivery of ready-to-use systems.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
