In latest months there was a high-profile marketing campaign within the Danish media in opposition to a $250 million deal signed between Israeli protection electronics firm Elbit Programs and Denmark’s military for the availability of artillery and rocket launchers.
Although the deal was signed in the beginning of 2023 and the primary deliveries have already been made, TV channels and newspapers within the Scandinavian nation have in latest months featured a variety of undisclosed allegations in opposition to the deal starting from “the danger of shopping for weapons from a rustic at warfare,’ by means of to “considerations over digital disruption of GPS,” along with political struggles between a number of parliamentary events over the pace with which the deal was accredited, which has already led to the resignation of the protection minister and the institution of an official committee of inquiry.
Elbit Programs instructed “Globes” in response to the affair that it’s based mostly on an inventory of false claims from the dates of supply to Denmark, which aren’t influenced by Israel’s warfare efforts, by means of to the security points over GPS use. Business sources point out the present competitors over protection budgets in Europe as a doable motive for the marketing campaign and the need by sure events on the political map to wreck Israel.
In the meantime the controversy options prominently on Denmark’s political agenda and is referred to melodramatically as a scandal and “the Elbit saga,” once more demonstrating the fragile scenario going through Israeli arms exporters within the present European political local weather.
Who pressed for the deal’s approval
The deal between Elbit and Denmark was signed in January 2023. The deal, within the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, included the speedy provide to the Danish military of 19 ATMOS artillery gun methods and eight PULS rocket launchers. Denmark was in determined want as a result of it had beforehand determined to donate its whole present and future arsenal of French-made artillery to Ukraine, like different Nordic nations. The Israeli deal was signed in file time, and all of the merchandise had been promised inside about two years, to fill the lacking operational wants.
However only a few months after its approval, when it emerged that an undersecretary on the Ministry of Protection had “pressured” parliament to approve the proposal on the grounds that it was time-limited and that if there was a delay the value would rise and supply instances could be prolonged, the affair started to accumulate political features. Protection Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen fired the undersecretary, apologized for his ministry’s “misinformation,” ordered an inner investigation, and in August final 12 months introduced his resignation. He was changed by Troels Lund Poulsen from his social gathering, who nonetheless holds the place.
Though the deal’s first deliveries have already been made, it seems that the affair is much from over. Over the previous 12 months, political figures, significantly on the left, have been demanding a extra complete investigation into the approval course of. Lower than two months in the past, a joint publication by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten and the Danish state broadcaster (DR) leaked inner claims that “The brand new weapons methods Denmark had procured may very well be disabled by the Russians.” Based on the report, GPS elements related to the methods to be provided are susceptible to digital warfare assaults. “Changing these elements may delay the methods by three to 4 years,” the newspaper wrote.
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A number of weeks later, in the beginning of December, allegations in opposition to the deal had been once more made public. This time, it was that “doable delays within the manufacturing of the shells and rockets” for the launchers procured from Israel “may trigger a year-long delay within the operation of the methods.” The report, which appeared once more in Jyllands-Posten, quotes a number of political sources who additionally claimed that “there’s a danger in procuring weapons from a rustic which will want them for itself.” In different phrases, that Israel’s priorities may disrupt provides to Denmark, as a result of want for self-defense and weapons for the Israeli military.
On the identical time, a variety of events, supported by media sources and specialists who had been interviewed, demanded a extra complete investigation into the dynamics of the unique choice on the procurement in January 2023. An unbiased skilled committee concluded that the inner investigation “was not given a adequate mandate.” Final week, a variety of opposition events introduced that they’d collectively reached the required threshold of one-third of parliamentarians to launch a preliminary investigation by a committee. The committee may suggest a full investigation, however the authorities may torpedo it with the prevailing coalition majority. “Now we have not but investigated the Elbit scandal in depth,” a senior member of the left-wing SF social gathering instructed the media.
A part of the general public environment
The Danish navy is at the moment not commenting in regards to the deal. Sources in Israel’s protection trade clarify that behind such big offers there’s generally competitors from rival producers, which is sometimes mirrored in authorized allegations (as occurred within the IAI drone take care of Germany) and media campaigns. Based on these sorces, the present problem can also be a part of the general public environment in opposition to Israel in Europe. Denmark is taken into account one of many nations the place public opinion and the road are clearly leaning in a pro-Palestinian course, whereas the federal government cultivates good relations with Israel. Elbit says that the claims revealed in opposition to Israeli methods in latest weeks are basically fallacious. Relating to the “concern” a few delay because of Israel’s warfare wants, the corporate stated that “Elbit started supplying methods underneath the contracts on a brief schedule as early as 2023, and dedicated to finishing all provides inside about two years. All through the warfare, Elbit continued to assist all contract actions in Denmark and continued to provide cannons, launchers, and rockets to Denmark underneath the contract.”
Relating to claims in regards to the GPS elements, Elbit stresses, “Elbit Programs offers all exact rocket munitions mixed with navy GPS with a few of the most superior capabilities on this planet which have been operationally confirmed. Every other declare is basically fallacious and displays skilled misunderstanding.”
The corporate added, “Elbit is proud to have been chosen by the procurement supervisor of the Danish Ministry of Protection to provide the military with each the superior cannon system and the launcher and rocket methods for them. This follows on from the truth that Elbit provided Denmark with a sophisticated mortar system a number of years in the past to the complete satisfaction of the shopper. The launcher and rocket system can also be provided to different European nations, together with NATO members.”
Printed by Globes, Israel enterprise information – en.globes.co.il – on December 29, 2024
© Copyright of Globes Writer Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2024
