Israel continues to sell weapons to Myanmar during Rohingya persecution

World

Published: 2017-10-23 11:26

Last Updated: 2024-03-29 06:27


Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and delegation leave for goodwill visit to Israel, 2015. (Facebook)
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and delegation leave for goodwill visit to Israel, 2015. (Facebook)

Israel is continuing to sell arms to Myanmar, despite international condemnation of its persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority and international restrictions of weapons sales to the Myanmar military.

Sources in the Israeli weapons industry told Haaretz that the total value of the arms deal between Israel and Myanmar is estimated at tens of millions of dollars.

Despite the UN declaration about ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslim community, alongside testimonies of methodical rape and murder by the Myanmar military, the Israeli ministry just last month refused to announce that it would stop selling weapons to Myanmar.

The US and EU have both implemented an arms embargo on the South Asian country.

However, Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's Defense Minister, alleged that Israel has complied with the “accepted guidelines of the enlightened world”.

Last month Israel’s High Court ruled on a petition submitted by Human Rights activists against the sales, but the court decision has remained secret at the state’s request.

Almost 600,000 Rohingya refugees have fled Burma's northern Rakhine state into Bangladesh since 25 August after the Myanmar military began a brutal campaign in the region.

According to a recent statement by UNICEF, at least 340,000 Rohingya Muslim children are living in dire conditions without adequate access to food, water and healthcare in Bangladesh refugee camps