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The Wire
08-08-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
What India Buys Into When It Buys Israeli Arms
Books Marcy Newman The crimes we see happening in Gaza today are being replicated in the rest of Palestine and across the world, because nations buying these weapons will mimic Israel's behaviour. Antony Loewenstein's significant book documents how. In the last several months, in Karnataka alone, India has put on display the ways in which it colludes with Israel's militaristic economy. In February, the Invest Karnataka meeting in Bengaluru, featured a panel titled 'Sky to Soil: How Indian-Israeli Cooperation in Drones, Agri-Tech, and Clean Energy is Driving Sustainable Innovation.' Just after the brief ceasefire took effect in late January, this meeting presented the ruse of military technology being used to support sustainable agriculture. This is Israel's agro-diplomacy and it's one of the many ways it dupes the Global South into collaborating on militarised agribusiness deals. One doesn't have to look much farther than Israel's scorched earth policy in Gaza, where farmers are met with empty fields and toxic soil, to know that sustainable agriculture is the farthest thing from their agenda. In fact, in Narendra Modi's India, Israel doesn't have to camouflage its intentions at all. In Bengaluru's Aero India 2025 event, also held in February, the Embassy of Israel – Defense Section, along with its heaviest hitters, Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and Israel Aerospace Industries, exhibited their wares which are responsible for massacring tens of thousands of Palestinians. Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World, Antony Loewenstein, Verso, 2023. It's alarming that Israel is allowed to do this in India on the heels of a genocide, and in the midst of a ceasefire that it has broken daily. But that's also the point of Antony Loewenstein's significant book and companion film airing on Al Jazeera, The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World, which documents precisely how they use their knowledge from an apartheid regime to sell that to countries around the world – including the world's most authoritarian states. Originally released in 2023, Loewenstein's updated edition, and recently published in India, comes with a new preface titled 'The Gaza Laboratory,' which brings readers up to speed in the context of Israel's recent genocide. He demonstrates how this live-streamed genocide has enabled its tools to be 'proudly displayed on social media for both a domestic and international audience as well as potential global buyers. Israel used artificial intelligence-enabled weapons striking non-military targets with unprecedented ferocity. It's a 'mass assassination factory'' (xvi). That mass assassination factory is Brand Israel through and through. It's been something Israel's armament companies have long profited from. Dictatorships, repressive regimes, genocidal governments have been Israel's most willing customers from the beginning. Loewenstein covers this historical trajectory, meticulously highlighting the hypocrisy of a Jewish state selling weapons to countries like Paraguay and Argentina which were, at the time, welcoming Nazis fleeing Europe with open arms. Throughout the twentieth century, Loewenstein reveals, Israel materially supported genocides in Indonesia, Guatemala, Rwanda, and Sudan. More recently, Israel ignored the arms embargo against Myanmar, because of its genocide against the Rohingya minority, and allowed 'a secret delegation from Myanmar [to visit] Israel's defense industries and naval and air bases to negotiate deals for drones, a mobile phone-hacking system, rifles, military training, and warships'. In addition to its role in training and arming génocidaires, Israel has an even longer history of arming repressive regimes through weapons sales, more often than not as a cover for the United States. It's a sick logic that finds Israel's so-called 'success' on the battlefield as encouragement to purchase their products of death. Loewenstein notes: 'Israeli arms sales in 2021 were the highest on record, surging 55 percent over the previous two years to US$11.3 billion. Europe was the biggest recipient of these weapons… Rockets, aerial defense systems, missiles, cyberweapons and radars… The result is that Israel is now one of the top ten weapons dealers in the world, having sold a range of equipment to nations including India, Azerbaijan and Turkey, that worsened conflicts in their own regions. The Israeli government approved every defense deal brought to it since 2007' (9-10). These nations, including India, are not merely buying military materiel. They're also buying into the brand of ethnonationalist supremacy Israel puts on full display for the world to see. How Israel traffics in genocide, flaunting every law placed in its way, is precisely what these countries hope to emulate. Israel and India's relationship has grown dangerously enmeshed since 2014. As Loewenstein says:'The growing affection between Israel and India was not just ideological, a mutual embrace of ethnonationalism – the exchange of defense equipment helped enforce it.' (126). That bond has made India Israel's largest weapons export market. When India acquired the cyber-weapon, Pegasus, from Israel's NSO Group, the state compromised a huge swath of civil society. Loewenstein profiles Nihalsing Rathod, a lawyer whose work on the Elgar Parishad case left him, and his entire network, vulnerable to being hacked: 'The role of NSO and cyber hacking actors [are] 'digital infections' that do not 'target civil society actors as individuals, but rather as networks of collaboration.' Also read: In What Language, Under Total Surveillance, Does Truth Speak to a Tormented People? The group found that in India, Mexico and Saudi Arabia, one person is initially hacked 'before their professional networks are targeted within a similar time period. In each of these examples the use of Pegasus occurs after or during periods where these civil society networks expose or confront controversial or criminal state policy'' (152). Regardless, there have been no repercussions and no oversight for NSO or the Indian government for introducing spyware into civil society. There's still a great deal we don't know about the damage it's done. Only a few months ago the Catalan government ruled that the NSO group's founders can be charged for hacking a Catalan lawyer's phone. According to Loewenstein, Israel makes decisions about which nations to sell to based on 'espionage diplomacy.' It calculates that these nations will then support its efforts to gaslight the world about its apartheid and genocidal policies against the Palestinian people, as well as its encroachment of Lebanese and Syrian land. With the weapons deal comes an expectation of reciprocity (especially when they sell arms to countries no one else will sell to). One element of that reciprocity is that the buyer votes to shield Israel from accountability in the United Nations. As Loewenstein's reporting painstakingly shows his readers, when a nation purchases Israeli missiles, spyware, drones, or any other military materiel, it has blood on its hands. It enables Israel to maintain and profit off of the world's largest open-air prison: 'Gaza is now the perfect laboratory for Israeli ingenuity in domination.…Today its population has been placed in a forced experiment of control where the latest technology and techniques are tested. However, what is happening in Gaza is increasingly occurring globally' (73). The crimes we see happening in Gaza today are being replicated in the rest of Palestine and across the world, because nations buying these weapons will mimic Israel's behaviour. This is what India is entering into when it does business with Israel, for a drip-irrigation system or drones. The Palestine Laboratory is a book to pore over to gain a sense of what we are all buying into. Watch episode one and two of The Palestine Laboratory here. Marcy Newman is author of The Politics of Teaching Palestine to Americans. She is a member of Jewish Voice for Peace and the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network. 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Daily Record
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Glastonbury and Israeli government slam Bob Vylan over 'death to the IDF' chants
Bobby Vylan chanted on stage during yesterday's set. Glastonbury and the Israeli government have slammed Bob Vylan over the "death to the IDF" chants during their performance at the festival yesterday. In a statement, festival organisers said they were "appalled" by the rap punk duo's actions during Saturday's set, which has since been pulled from BBC iPlayer. Bobby Vylan led crowds on the festival's West Holts Stage in chants of: "Free, free Palestine" and: "Death, death to the IDF". Their performance ran just before that of controversial Irish group Kneecap. Glastonbury Festival's statement said: "Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence." Glastonbury's comments came after Vylan was also criticised by the Israeli government on social media site X, formerly Twitter, over the incident - and urged the festival organisers to act. The UK Embassy of Israel wrote: "The Embassy of Israel in the United Kingdom is deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival. "Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out—especially when amplified by public figures on prominent platforms. "Chants such as 'Death to the IDF,' and 'From the river to the sea' are slogans that advocate for the dismantling of the State of Israel and implicitly call for the elimination of Jewish self-determination. "When such messages are delivered before tens of thousands of festivalgoers and met with applause, it raises serious concerns about the normalisation of extremist language and the glorification of violence. "We call on Glastonbury Festival organisers, artists, and public leaders in the UK to denounce this rhetoric and reject of all forms of hatred." Health Secretary Wes Streeting also blasted the antics, with the Labour MP warning that both the BBC and Glastonbury had "questions to answer". He went on to brand it a "pretty shameless publicity stunt". He told Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: 'I thought it's appalling, to be honest, and I think the BBC and Glastonbury have got questions to answer about how we saw such a spectacle on our screens. "But I also think it's a pretty shameless publicity stunt, which I don't really want to give too much indulgence to for that reason." He said what people should be talking about in the context of Israel and Gaza is the humanitarian catastrophe. He added: "The fact that we saw that chant at a music festival, when there were Israelis at a similar music festival who were kidnapped, murdered, raped, and in some cases still held captive." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He also mentioned Israeli settlers attacking a Christian village this week and added: "Whether it's a Palestinian or an Israeli, whether it's a Christian, a Jew or a Muslim, all life is precious. "All life is sacred. And I find it pretty revolting we've got to a state in this conflict where you're supposed to sort of cheer on one side or the other like it's a football team." Asked if the BBC should have cut the live feed, he said the broadcaster has questions to answer, but that he did not know what the editorial and operational 'challenges' are of taking such action. Meanwhile, the Israeli embassy said that it was "deeply disturbed" by the scenes on Saturday. Police are investigating the incident after a member of Bob Vylan was seen shouting out the phrase to the crowd, with videos of the moment circulating on the internet. They had been performing on stage ahead of Irish act Kneecap, whose member Mo Chara as recently in court after brandishing a Hezbolla flag on stage during a gig, The Mirror reports.
Scoop
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Embassy Of Israel In Wellington Closes Amid International Conflict
Article – RNZ It's part of a worldwide closure of the country's diplomatic missions. The Israeli embassy in New Zealand has shut as part of a worldwide closure of the country's diplomatic missions,. The closures comes as tensions remain high in the region – Israel launched an attack on Iranian nuclear and military facilities on Friday, which Iran responded to with attacks of its own. The Embassy of Israel – on Brandon Street in Wellington – services Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Niue, as well as New Zealand. It also operates a consulate office in Auckland. A message on the embassy's website announced the decision: 'In light of recent developments, Israeli missions around the world will be closed and consular services will not be provided,' it said. 'An online form is available for Israelis abroad to report their location and current status.' The message also issued general safety guidelines for Israelis abroad – encouraging them to avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public spaces and avoid attending large gatherings or events associated with Israel or Jewish communities. An 'unpublish' date on the message indicated it was intended to appear on the website until the end of July. In a statement sent to RNZ on Saturday morning, the Israeli embassy said Iran was 'only moments away from a nuclear weapon' and Israel 'had no choice'. 'Iran accumulated large amounts of highly enriched uranium that are sufficient for more than nine nuclear bombs. A third of which was enriched and accumulated in the last three months alone – a drastic increase of production volume. ' Israel has for years said Iran was working towards obtaining nuclear weapons. The embassy said the recent 'accelerated effort has not been seen in the last two decades'. 'Israel has the right to defend itself, and it has launched a precise self-defense campaign as a last resort.' It accused Iran of targeting civilian populations in its retaliatory attacks, saying Israel only 'targeted senior military commanders and nuclear weapons developers'. 'Israel will not allow a regime that openly calls for its destruction to possess nuclear weapons or vast stockpiles of advanced ballistic missiles.' The embassy closure came as part of a global shutting of Israeli embassies. Israel's embassy in Sweden said the country would close its diplomatic missions around the world and that consular services would not be provided at about 11pm on Friday night (NZ), Reuters reported. It did not say how long the missions would be closed. Correction: This story earlier said Iran launched 100 drones towards Israel, which was unconfirmed. It has been changed since to 'responded to with attacks of its own'.
Scoop
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Embassy Of Israel In Wellington Closes Amid International Conflict
The Israeli embassy in New Zealand has shut as part of a worldwide closure of the country's diplomatic missions,. The closures comes as tensions remain high in the region - Israel launched an attack on Iranian nuclear and military facilities on Friday, which Iran responded to with attacks of its own. The Embassy of Israel - on Brandon Street in Wellington - services Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Niue, as well as New Zealand. It also operates a consulate office in Auckland. A message on the embassy's website announced the decision: "In light of recent developments, Israeli missions around the world will be closed and consular services will not be provided," it said. "An online form is available for Israelis abroad to report their location and current status." The message also issued general safety guidelines for Israelis abroad - encouraging them to avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public spaces and avoid attending large gatherings or events associated with Israel or Jewish communities. An 'unpublish' date on the message indicated it was intended to appear on the website until the end of July. In a statement sent to RNZ on Saturday morning, the Israeli embassy said Iran was "only moments away from a nuclear weapon" and Israel "had no choice". "Iran accumulated large amounts of highly enriched uranium that are sufficient for more than nine nuclear bombs. A third of which was enriched and accumulated in the last three months alone - a drastic increase of production volume. " Israel has for years said Iran was working towards obtaining nuclear weapons. The embassy said the recent "accelerated effort has not been seen in the last two decades". "Israel has the right to defend itself, and it has launched a precise self-defense campaign as a last resort." It accused Iran of targeting civilian populations in its retaliatory attacks, saying Israel only "targeted senior military commanders and nuclear weapons developers". "Israel will not allow a regime that openly calls for its destruction to possess nuclear weapons or vast stockpiles of advanced ballistic missiles." The embassy closure came as part of a global shutting of Israeli embassies. Israel's embassy in Sweden said the country would close its diplomatic missions around the world and that consular services would not be provided at about 11pm on Friday night (NZ), Reuters reported. It did not say how long the missions would be closed. Correction: This story earlier said Iran launched 100 drones towards Israel, which was unconfirmed. It has been changed since to 'responded to with attacks of its own'.
Otago Daily Times
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Israeli embassy closes in Wellington
By Soumya Bhamidipati of RNZ The Israeli embassy in New Zealand has shut as part of a worldwide closure of the country's diplomatic missions. The closures comes as tensions remain high in the region - Israel launched an attack on Iranian nuclear and military facilities on Friday, which Iran responded to with the launch of 100 drones. The Embassy of Israel - on Brandon Street in Wellington - services Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Niue, as well as New Zealand. It also operates a consulate office in Auckland. A message on the embassy's website announced the decision: "In light of recent developments, Israeli missions around the world will be closed and consular services will not be provided," it said. "An online form is available for Israelis abroad to report their location and current status." The message also issued general safety guidelines for Israelis abroad - encouraging them to avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public spaces and avoid attending large gatherings or events associated with Israel or Jewish communities. An 'unpublish' date on the message indicated it was intended to appear on the website until the end of July. In a statement sent to RNZ on Saturday morning, deputy chief of mission Yael Holan said Iran was "only moments away from a nuclear weapon" and Israel "had no choice". "Iran accumulated large amounts of highly enriched uranium that are sufficient for more than nine nuclear bombs. A third of which was enriched and accumulated in the last three months alone - a drastic increase of production volume. " Israel has for years said Iran was working towards obtaining nuclear weapons. Holan said the recent "accelerated effort has not been seen in the last two decades". "Israel has the right to defend itself, and it has launched a precise self-defense campaign as a last resort." She accused Iran of targeting civilian populations in its retaliatory attacks, saying Israel only "targeted senior military commanders and nuclear weapons developers". "Israel will not allow a regime that openly calls for its destruction to possess nuclear weapons or vast stockpiles of advanced ballistic missiles." The embassy closure came as part of a global shutting of Israeli embassies. Israel's embassy in Sweden said the country would close its diplomatic missions around the world and that consular services would not be provided at about 11pm on Friday night (NZ), Reuters reported. It did not say how long the missions would be closed.
