#Israel may be about to export its workhorse #Merkava tank for the first time.
Reports say Israel is in talks to sell the tank to a European and a Middle Eastern country.
The European nation in question is actually #Cyprus, according to Israeli newspaper #Haaretz, which in June cited an unnamed Cypriot official who said negotiations are underway. The Arab nation is #Morocco, Spanish outlet El Espanol reported this month.
Exporting the Merkava raises sensitive political issues. For Morocco, acquiring an Israeli tank would be a highly visible symbol of its relatively cordial relationship with Israel. Morocco is also fighting #Polisario insurgents, who are backed by neighboring Algeria, in the Western #Sahara. This raises the possibility of one Arab state employing Israeli arms against another.
With Cyprus, Israel would be selling tanks to a nation that has tense relations with #Turkey, which invaded the northern half of Cyprus in 1974. Relations between Israel and the government of Turkish President Recep #Erdogan are often contentious. (The US ending its longstanding arms embargo on Cyprus in 2022 also triggered speculation that Cyprus' Russian-made arms could go to #Ukraine.)
Nonetheless, the timing is propitious for Israel. #Russia's invasion of Ukraine has spurred Europe to rearm its depleted militaries. Eastern European nations are sending many of their aging #Soviet- and Russian-designed tanks to the Ukrainians, which means the donors will be shopping for affordable replacements — likely older tanks with a non-Russian design.
The question is whether Israel will sell Merkavas to Ukraine. For now, the answer is no. Israel is wary of antagonizing Russia, for fear that Russian forces in #Syria will interfere with Israel's airstrikes against Iranian and #Hezbollah targets there. Russia can also send advanced weapons, particularly S-400 anti-aircraft missiles, to Israel's arch-enemy, #Iran.
#Military #UkraineWar #Politics #Europe #Africa #Apartheid
https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-merkava-tank-replace-tanks-sent-to-ukraine-russia-war-2023-7
