Saturday, October 14, 2023
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
NEWSLETTER
ՀԱՅ
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports
No Result
View All Result
Asbarez.com
ՀԱՅ
No Result
View All Result

Israel’s Defense Ministry Suspends Drone Maker Deal with Azerbaijan

by Ara Khachatourian
August 29, 2017
in Armenia, Artsakh, Featured Story, Latest, News, Top Stories
7
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
The Aeronautics Defense Systems facility
The Aeronautics Defense Systems facility

Israeli Defense Company Accused of Drone Attack on Artsakh Targets

BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN

Israel’s defense ministry has temporarily suspended the marketing and export license of an Israeli weapons manufacturer, which is accused of staging drone attacks on Artsakh targets at the urging of Azerbaijan.

The Israeli Bizportal news agency reported Tuesday that the defense ministry’s Defense Export Control Department, which is investigating the Artsakh attack allegations, has suspended the marketing and export license of Aeronautics Defense System, the manufacturer of  the Orbiter 1K drone system, to a “significant customer of the company in a foreign country.”

Earlier this month, the Israeli Defense Ministry said it is investigating allegations that two employees of Aernautics carried out live demonstration of the Orbiter 1K suicide drone system, which it sold to Azerbaijan, on Artsakh targets.

The investigation by the Israeli defense ministry body was first reported on August 13 by the local Maariv daily newspaper, which said that two Israeli drone operators refused to hit the Artsakh target, and after firmly refusing and being threatened by Azerbaijanis, senior representatives of the company armed and operated the drone, which is said to have missed its target without causing damage.

The Artsakh Army said that Azerbaijan used a suicide drone to attack its positions in northeastern Artsakh as recently as July 7. According to Colonel Armen Gyozalian of the Artsakh Army, two soldiers were injured during that attack, but no hardware was damaged.

Bizportal, using documents provided by the company in its earnings report, said that neither the export-control department nor Aeronautics named the country at the center of the suspension, only saying that it is a $20 million customer. Bizportal, however, references the Israeli media reports from two weeks ago regarding the investigation into the company for allegedly having its employees live-test the drones at Azerbaijan’s request.

Aeronautics Defense Systems says that it is the exclusive provider of the drone system to the “customer,” which owns a factory to manufacture drone parts and support the existing system. Azerbaijan has built such a plant to manufacture parts based on company specifications.

“There is interdependence between the company and the customer in such a way that its professional abilities are largely dependent on the company,” Aeronautics reported, according to Bizportal, adding that Aeronautics explained that “there are close economic ties between the government of Israel and the client government.”

Official Baku has boasted it reported purchase of $5 billion in arms from Israel, which were used on Artsakh targets during the April 2016 war, when a Harop aircraft, manufactured by the Israel Aerospace Industries, hit a bus and killed seven Armenians on board.

When reports surfaced about the Israeli defense ministry investigation into Aeronautics, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tigran Balayan told Asbarez that Yerevan closely follows “all developments that could affect legitimate security concerns of Artsakh, and therefore such kind of reports and allegations are a matter of concern. If confirmed, it should be followed by a clear reaction on the part of the international community. “

He added that Armenia’s official position regarding sale of any weapons to Azerbaijan “has been clearly articulated on numerous occasions and that stance has not changed, especially in light of the fact that those weapons are used not only against military targets, but against the civilian population as well.”

Aeronautics Defense Systems has denied the allegations, but it seems Israel’s defense ministry’s investigative body saw cause for the suspension of the company’s import license because if the allegations are found to be true it would make Israel an active party to the Karabakh conflict and would significantly change the dynamics of the situation both on the ground and on the international arena.

Yet since reports of the possibility of Israeli defense contractors being forced by Azerbaijan to perform live tests of suicide drones on Artsakh targets it did not seem to phase the international mediators who are tasked to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Karabakh conflict.

On the contrary, the former interim US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minks Group, Richard Hoagland, in a swan song press conference, opted to ignore the realities on the ground and proposed a tired set of principles, which are more favorable to Azerbaijan–the country whose actions are now being investigated by the Israeli defense ministry.

The first thing on the incoming US Co-Chair Andrew Schofer’s agenda must be to address Israel’s involvement in the conflict. Israel’s military industrial complex has already profited off the blood of Artsakh soldiers. It must stop.

Ara Khachatourian

Ara Khachatourian

Next Post

Changing Lives in Lebanon: AMIDEAST and Student Scholarships

Comments 7

  1. State of Emergency says:
    6 years ago

    And certainly it ain’t because of your dark eyes!

    Reply
  2. Edward Demiraiakian says:
    6 years ago

    The victims of the Israely drone attacks need to sue the drone manufacturer for dammages.

    Reply
  3. Serop says:
    6 years ago

    The gloves are off. Armenia should also start selling modern weapons via Russia to enemies of Israel
    After all business is BUSINESS, if Israel can profit from the blood of Armenians then we should do the same
    After all its the responsibility of the purchaser to use the weapons with “care”

    Reply
    • stephan Markarian says:
      6 years ago

      Yes Arminya should learn to react the same way . how many genocides are needed by turko/azerbaijanes to be committed for the world or Arminyans to be prepared,soumkait ,bakou, gerovabad, maraga,and just a year ago they glorified there ICES trainer soldiers who cut Heads even for 90 year’s elderly. They were the ones even before ALKAYDA and ICE destroyed the historyc CROSSTON of Tchouga, and ICE followed them bye destroying Palmera and adders . We were told over 100 year ago about yergate sherep.

      Reply
    • Raffi says:
      6 years ago

      I agree, Israel has gone tooooooooooo far, Armenia should sell arms to Hozballah and to others.

      Reply
  4. Hrant Apovian says:
    6 years ago

    Israel provides Azerbaijan with weapons
    as well as military advisers
    It is no surprise that its drones were used
    on Artsakh targets.
    Israel has cultivated a special relationship with Azerbaijan.

    Reply
  5. Raffi says:
    6 years ago

    International community should act, Israel should not extend it’s criminal acts to Christian countries.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recommended

Editorial: Armenia’s Independence and Sovereignty Are of Paramount Importance

Azerbaijan May Invade Armenia in Coming Weeks, Blinken Warns Members of Congress

4 hours ago
Kidnapped Artsakh Patient’s Sham Trial on Fabricated Charges Begins in Baku

Kidnapped Artsakh Patient’s Sham Trial on Fabricated Charges Begins in Baku

8 hours ago

Connect with us

  • About
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Community
  • Arts & Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Critics’ Forum
  • Op-Ed
    • Editorial
    • Opinon
    • Letters
  • Columns
    • By Any Means
    • My Turn
    • Three Apples
    • Community Links
    • Critics’ Forum
    • My Name is Armen
    • Living in Armenia
  • Videos
  • Sports

© 2021 Asbarez | All Rights Reserved | Powered By MSDN Solutions Inc.