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Figures posted over the weekend are generating concern in Israel
Arie Egozi
25/3/2012
Reason for concern? According to figures published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Israel has lost its place as one of the top ten global weapons exporters. SIPRI follows global weapons deals, and its figures are considered reliable.
According to the report, India is currently the largest weapons importer in the world, a status that the country has maintained for five consecutive years. The second largest importer comes as a surprise – Australia takes the lead over Pakistan who comes in at third.
The report provides a troubling figure for Israel – one of the largest suppliers of weapons in the world – as it has lost its place among the top ten weapons exporters. According to the report, the US and Russia were placed at the top of the list, while Israel is ranked as eleventh. This is a dramatic drop from 2009, when Israel was ranked in ninth place.
Israel received the report with concern. Defense establishment sources say that with the closure of the Chinese market to Israel, so as not to cause a conflict with the US, Israel has found itself amidst growing competition in South America and the Far East. The competition in those regions exists in nearly every field, including those in which Israel previously possessed a near-total dominance, such as in the field of UAVs.
Israel Defense | Israel Loses its Place Among the World's 10 Largest Weapons Exporters