Israeli Defense Industry Expands Sale of Drones

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The Jerusalem Post reports that “while Israeli soldiers can’t fight in the war in Afghanistan, Israeli drones can.” At the end of January, NATO members: Australia, Germany, Spain, France and Canada began “operating unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs] produced in the Jewish state in anti-Taliban operations in the Central Asian country,” wrote JP’s Yaakov Katz.

“Israel is a recognized world leader in the development of UAVs,” he continued, stating the Israeli defense industry is also expanding to Central and South America. The Brazilian government is prepared to “sign a $350 million deal to purchase Heron UAVs to patrol its cities and borders, and to provide security for the 2014 Soccer World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.” Israel Aerospace Industries is also set to “hold demonstrations of the Heron for Panamanian security forces in conjunction with the US military’s Southern Command.”

“The demonstration in Panama will focus on counter-drug operations, as well as border security,” the report stated.
Another Israeli daily, Ha’aretz, wrote in March that Israeli-built drones have been flying in Iraqi and Afghan skies for the last three years.

The Afghan government has not commented on the report.