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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/david-cronin/israels-killer-robots-go-display-greek-weapons-fair">electronicintifada.net</a>
<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Israel's killer robots go on display at Greek weapons fair</h1>
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<span class="gmail-field gmail-field-author"><a href="https://electronicintifada.net/people/david-cronin">David Cronin</a></span> <span class="gmail-field gmail-field-blog">-</span>
<span class="gmail-field gmail-field-publication-date"><span class="gmail-date-display-single">15 July 2021</span></span> </p>
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<span><img src="https://electronicintifada.net/sites/default/files/styles/original_800w/public/210712a-001.jpg?itok=9Oam7Mhz×tamp=1626250613" alt="" title="" style="margin-right: 25px;" width="449" height="255"></span><p>Was Yair Lapid (left) acting as a salesperson for Israel’s weapons when he visited Europe this week? (<a href="https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pictures/images_mfu/2021/7/12a-visit-mfa-israel/210712a-001.jpg">NATO</a>)</p><p>There was <a href="https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/101613/foreign-affairs-council-remarks-high-representativevice-president-josep-borrell-upon-arrival_en">talk</a> of a “fresh start” when Yair Lapid visited Brussels this week.</p>
<p>Israel’s foreign minister was on a mission to <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-europe-lapid-tells-nato-chief-israel-wants-to-deepen-ties/">“reboot”</a> relations with Europe.</p>
<p>But behind his fresh facade lurked something rotten and sinister.</p>
<p>Lapid wasn’t simply visiting to charm those EU representatives who
are always impressed by smartly dressed liberals. He also paid a trip to
the headquarters of NATO, a military alliance dominated by the US.</p>
<p>A tweet from Alon Ushpiz, the top official in Israel’s foreign
ministry indicated that Lapid was making a sales pitch. The discussions
with NATO’s administration were part of a “continuous effort to
strengthen our cooperation first and foremost on technology,” Ushpiz
stated.
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is an important meeting in the continuous effort to strengthen our cooperation first and foremost on technology <a href="https://t.co/z71qNsTjRo">https://t.co/z71qNsTjRo</a></p>— Alon Ushpiz (@AlonUshpiz) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlonUshpiz/status/1414643143882969091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The technology to which he refers has often been tested on Palestinians.
<p>Israel’s attack on Gaza during May offered an opportunity to expand the use of advanced military equipment.</p>
<p>A recent article in <em>Defense Update</em> – a website <a href="https://defense-update.com/3_about-us">promoting</a> Israel’s war industry – <a href="https://defense-update.com/20210521_ict.html">explains</a> how the attack was facilitated by the latest version of the Elbit Systems’ Digital Army Program.
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“We dramatically
shortened the time of closing Sensor-to-Shooter processes. The core
delivering this capability is Elbit System’s TORCH 750, the main C4ISR
of <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDF</a>”. Brig. Gen. Yariv Nir, chief communications & IT officer to <a href="https://twitter.com/defenceupdate?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@defenceupdate</a>. <a href="https://t.co/jgWCa3yQlE">https://t.co/jgWCa3yQlE</a> <a href="https://t.co/WBE5N6VlJu">pic.twitter.com/WBE5N6VlJu</a></p>— Elbit Systems (@ElbitSystemsLtd) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElbitSystemsLtd/status/1399681111748497410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The program gathers information about “all activities related to enemy
actions.” By doing so, the Israeli military could “accelerate the
targeting process,” the article states.
<h2>Killing faster?</h2>
<p>During its May offensive, Israel deliberately <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/content/death-without-warning/33416">targeted</a> civilian infrastructure and carried out <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/content/al-wihda-street-massacre/33366">massacres</a> of civilians.</p>
<p>Moreover, Israel regards millions of Palestinians as enemies. Back in 2007, Israel <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/sep/20/israel1">designated</a> the entire Gaza Strip as a “hostile entity.”</p>
<p>So what is a weapons trade website really saying when it enthuses
about how technology can “accelerate the targeting process”? Does it
mean that Israel can now kill children and other non-combatants faster
than before?</p>
<p>Elbit is Israel’s <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/top-100/2021/07/12/riding-the-wave-defense-revenues-rise-despite-a-dark-2020/">top weapons firm</a>.</p>
<p>Since the May attack, Elbit has proven that it is attractive to investors by <a href="https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-elbit-systems-raises-nis-19b-debt-in-tel-aviv-1001377130">raising</a>
almost $580 million worth of capital in Tel Aviv. Elbit will use some
of this money to expand its business in the US and Europe, the firm has
stated.</p>
<p>As part of efforts to boost exports, Elbit is now taking part in Defence Exhibition Athens. That fair is <a href="https://defea.gr/exhibitors/official-partners/">sponsored</a> by the Greek government, which has become a major client of Elbit in recent years.
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Israel &
Hellenic Ministries of Defense have signed the biggest defense agreement
to date between Israel and Greece. It amounts to around NIS 5.4 billion
and includes the establishment of an International Flight Training
Center for the Hellenic Air Force, by <a href="https://twitter.com/ElbitSystemsLtd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ElbitSystemsLtd</a> <a href="https://t.co/TNulvgcZCN">pic.twitter.com/TNulvgcZCN</a></p>— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel_MOD/status/1383672786133028869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Elbit is one of many Israeli firms <a href="https://defea.gr/sponsors/israel/">participating</a> in the fair.
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Following a period
marked by the global health crisis, SIBAT in the Israel Ministry of
Defense, has inaugurated its pavilion at Defense Exhibition Athens.
SIBAT is accompanied by 20 Israeli defense companies that are global
leaders in their fields. <a href="https://t.co/JXK9GonmAa">pic.twitter.com/JXK9GonmAa</a></p>— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel_MOD/status/1414991056899280896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Rafael, the <a href="https://www.rafael.co.il/worlds/air-missile-defense/short-range-air-missile-defense/">main firm</a>
behind Iron Done – a system for intercepting rockets fired by
Palestinian resistance fighters – will be showcasing its Sea Breaker
“autonomous weapon system.”
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<blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Next week, July 13-15th, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will participate in <a href="https://twitter.com/DEFEA2021?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DEFEA2021</a> in Athens Greece. Join us at Booth 3F25 as we display the following solutions:</p>— RAFAEL Defense Systems (@RAFAELdefense) <a href="https://twitter.com/RAFAELdefense/status/1413191059631390723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Autonomous weapon systems are more commonly known as “<a href="https://paxforpeace.nl/what-we-do/programmes/killer-robots">killer robots</a>.” Rafael boasts of how Sea Breaker offers “effective warhead lethality” and how it <a href="https://twitter.com/RAFAELdefense/status/1410236793669275651">uses</a> artificial intelligence technology that has been “combat proven.”
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“Combat proven” is a <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/david-cronin/eu-funds-israels-war-industry">euphemism</a>
for equipment that has already been tried out in military attacks. If
Rafael’s boast is accurate, it implies that Israel has begun using
artificial intelligence and related technology against Palestinians – as
<em>The Jerusalem Post</em> has <a href="https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/gaza-news/guardian-of-the-walls-the-first-ai-war-669371">reported</a>.
<h2>Blood-stained brand</h2>
<p>The Athens fair is one of several events in Europe where Israel’s weapons traders enjoy a hearty welcome.</p>
<p>In October, Paris will play host to <a href="https://en.milipol.com/Milipol-Paris/About-Milipol-Paris-2021">Milipol</a>, an exhibition of “homeland security” equipment.</p>
<p>Israel Weapon Industries has long <a href="https://en.milipol.com/Catalogue/Exhibitor/IWI-Israel-Weapon-Industries">booked</a> a stall.</p>
<p>That firm <a href="https://iwi.net/about-us/">advertises</a> how its rifles are “developed in close cooperation” with Israel’s military. It does not spell out how those firearms <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/david-cronin/france-promotes-rifles-used-gaza-massacres">enabled</a> snipers to gun down participants in Gaza’s Great March of Return during 2018.</p>
<p>NSO Group – a firm <a href="https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/tamara-nassar/advanced-israeli-malware-no-interaction-no-trace">producing</a> malware for spying on journalists – is another Israeli exhibitor <a href="https://en.milipol.com/Media/Network-Passions/Milipol-Paris-Medias/Files/2021-Exhibitor-list">expected</a> at Milipol.</p>
<p>So is Wintego, which <a href="https://wintego.com/lp/cyber-intelligence-solutions/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Wintego%20website&utm_term=wintego&gclid=CjwKCAjw87SHBhBiEiwAukSeUR4AdOLTy6a03DKeTC-0mmVZYWl4nao2N90El7O6sJUCLZzO3JWwTBoCiHAQAvD_BwE">assists</a> government agencies in extracting “secured data and chats” from mobile phones.</p>
<p>By making ultra-modern tools for spying and killing, Israel markets
itself as passionate about innovation. And elites in the West can always
be relied on to endorse any Israeli brand, keeping hush about how it is
stained with Palestinian blood.</p><br>
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