'A deep-rooted hatred of the British': How Israelis 'armed junta' in Falklands conflict

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Israel secretly provided arms and supplies to Argentina during the Falklands conflict, according to revelations in a new book.

Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin had such a deep-rooted hatred of the British that the Jewish state covertly became the biggest supplier of military equipment to the Argentine military junta.

Gas masks, radar alert systems, air-to-air missiles and fuel tanks for fighter bombers were sent from Tel Aviv to arm General Galtieri’s forces. The most audacious deal involved supplying 23 French-built fighter aircraft – Mirage IIICs – which were camouflaged with the insignia of Peru. But they arrived after the war was over.

Britain, under Margaret Thatcher, retook the Falkland Islands in June 1982, two and a half months after Argentina invaded. Some 255 British servicemen, more than 650 Argentines and three islanders were killed.

Although it was well known at the time that France was supplying missiles to Argentina – most infamously the Exocet missiles used to sink HMS Sheffield with the loss of 20 crew – Israel’s involvement went unnoticed."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1379008/A-deep-rooted-hatred-British-How-Israelis-armed-junta-Falklands-conflict.html#ixzz1KSycIgcO

[LeftishBrit]

1. My view of the whole Falklands episode is pretty well summed up by Raymond Briggs' picture book...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tin-Pot_Foreign_General_and_the_Old_Iron_Woman

And I wouldn't trust Robin Yapp's reporting on much. He writes for both the Torygraph and Daily Mail, and used to be the Daily Mail's Science Correspondent, which is a bit like being Sarah Palin's Science Correspondent.

It's already known that Begin wasn't that fond of the British; and was in his early days involved with an anti-British terrorist group. Speaking as a Brit, I don't really care what he did or didn't do re the Falklands - the Camp David agreement was rather more important by that stage.

[Festivito]

2. There was a bombing of a synagogue in Buenos Aires later that I did not understand.

Nothing before that, nothing after that. I'll have to rethink that.

[King_David]

5. Rethink what?

You think the British bombed the shul?


:crazy:

[Festivito]

6. The bombing there. And, that would be the less likely scenario.

But, then again, I rule nothing out -- completely. I'd immediately place that idea about four or five magnitudes of ideas down the idea line.

[hack89]

8. There is an extensive history of attacks against Jews

On July 18, 1994, a Renault Trafic van bomb loaded with about 275 kilograms (610 lb) of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and fuel oil explosive mixture,<8> was detonated in front of the Jewish Community Center located in a densely constructed area of Buenos Aires. The explosive is thought to have been arranged to focus the blast on the building 3 to 5 metres (9.8 to 16 ft) away, exhibiting a shaped charge or explosively formed penetrator effect. The exterior walls of this five story building were of brick masonry construction, which supported the floor slabs. The air blast from the bomb totally destroyed the exposed load-bearing walls which, in turn, led to progressive failure of the floor slabs and virtually total collapse of the building. Such wall-bearing buildings are notable for their tendency to be brought down in this manner by localized damage.<9>

Eighty-five people died, the majority of whom were Jewish (although many non-Jews were also killed). More than 300 others were wounded. The attack came two years after the 1992 Israeli Embassy Attack in Buenos Aires that killed 29. To date, authorities have been unable to locate those responsible for either bombing.

the bombing came two years after the March 17, 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires which killed 29 and wounded 242, and was Argentina's deadliest terror attack until the AMIA Bombing. The Islamic Jihad Organization, which has been linked to Iran and possibly Hezbollah,<10> claimed responsibility for that bombing.<11> Some suspect that the AMIA bombing was connected to the embassy attack.<12>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_AMIA_bombing

[azurnoir]

3. Interestig indeed n/t

[King_David]

4. I think it was a pure' business ' decision

They got paid.

[shaayecanaan]

7. Maybe Britain should make a business decision as well (nt)

[King_David]

9. Were the sale of arms to Argentina before the Falkland war? nt

[King_David]

10. France and Britain are in the same European Union

'Although it was well known at the time that France was supplying missiles to Argentina – most infamously the Exocet missiles used to sink HMS Sheffield with the loss of 20 crew '

[shaayecanaan]

11. I imagine that Britain does more business with France than it does with Israel (nt)