FRANCE ENDING BAN ON ARMS TRADE WITH ISRAEL

A positive step found in Israel's relations with France:

After more than 40 years, France has ended its ban on weapons trade with Israel. Paris has decided to purchase the Heron TP (Eitan) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from Israel Aerospace Industries.

With a wingspan just about as wide as a Boeing 737 (26 meters), the Eitan flies up to an altitude of 40,000 feet and can remain airborne for up to 36 hours. The drone is able to carry a wide variety of equipment with which to conduct its reconnaissance missions due to its size – possibly even missiles.

The Eitan went into service in Israel approximately 18 months ago, and is the first military equipment purchase from Israel by France in 42 years. This is also the first time the Eitan has been sold to a foreign nation.

It was then-President Charles de Gaulle who imposed the weapons sales embargo, barring the sale of a French jet to Israel that was developed with Israeli technology.

That event spurred Israel's government to ensure that no foreign power would ever again have the ability to clip the wings of the IDF.

The supposedly pro-Israel de Gaulle - one of the so-called freedom fighters who allowed Haj-Amin el-Husseini to flee from justice and may even be responsible for any disaster in Algeria - was the very politician who led to that atrocious policy of not developing arms sales between France and Israel. Now, that policy has wisely been lifted, and it could benefit France tremendously, certainly if they use it for positive purposes.