Support Our Work Mailing list About / Contact
  • Home /
  • News /
  • 2014 /
  • January /
  • Israel and the Drone Wars: Examining Israel’s production, use and proliferation of UAVs, Mary Dobbing and Chris Cole, Drone Wars UK, January 2014, pp. 32

Israel and the Drone Wars: Examining Israel’s production, use and proliferation of UAVs, Mary Dobbing and Chris Cole, Drone Wars UK, January 2014, pp. 32

01 January 2014

Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.

Israel is one of three countries (along with the USA and UK) to have used armed drones in a military scenario and this report examines its “growing production, use and proliferation” of military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The report uses diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, defence press reports and sources in the public domain to demonstrate the secrecy that surrounds the use of armed drones, which in the case of Israel has been taken to new levels as the country does not even acknowledge that it has used them.

In fact, Israel has long been a leading player in the development and use of military drones and its use of surveillance drones over Gaza extends back more than four decades, having a “serious and detrimental impact on the lives of Palestinians.”

The use of armed drones in Israel’s 2012 military assault on Gaza “appears to be the first major military incursion not to use ground forces at all and sets a precedent for military intervention.”

In terms of exports, the report documents that “about 50 countries out of the more than 70 known to have some form of military UAV capability have received drones or drone technology transfers from Israel” and some of these exports have aided human rights abuses, such as the Sri Lankan government’s genocidal attack on its Tamil population in 2009, for example.

The report concludes that: “The price for Israel’s booming drone export industry is being paid for... by Palestinians who are forced to live under Israeli drones, and by the growing number of victims of current, and no doubt future drone wars around the globe.” Available as a free download here.

Our work is only possible with your support.
Become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.

 Previous article

Extending immigration policing and exclusion in the UK, Frances Webber, Race and Class (Institute of Race Relations), volume 5, number 3, January 2014, pp. 86-92

Next article 

Reading the Stockholm Riots - a moment for social justice? Carl-Ulrik Schierup, Aleksandra Ålund and Lisa Kings. Race and Class (Institute of Race Relations) volume 5, number 3, January 2014, pp. 1-21

 

Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.

Report error

Statewatch does not have a corporate view, nor does it seek to create one, the views expressed are those of the author. Statewatch is not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement. Registered UK charity number: 1154784. Registered UK company number: 08480724. Registered company name: The Libertarian Research & Education Trust. Registered office: MayDay Rooms, 88 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1DH. © Statewatch ISSN 1756-851X. Personal usage as private individuals "fair dealing" is allowed. We also welcome links to material on our site. Usage by those working for organisations is allowed only if the organisation holds an appropriate licence from the relevant reprographic rights organisation (eg: Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK) with such usage being subject to the terms and conditions of that licence and to local copyright law.

About | Contact | Privacy Policy