Israel Inks Multi-Billion Dollar Submarine Deal with Germany
Israel signed a three billion euro ($3.4 billion) deal on Thursday to buy three cutting edge submarines from Germany, the defense ministry announced.
The Dakar-class diesel-electric submarines will be produced by German manufacturer Thyssenkrupp and are expected to be delivered within nine years, the ministry said.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the procurement "will upgrade the capabilities of the Israeli Navy, and will contribute to Israel's security superiority in the region." Part of the cost of the ships will be covered by the German government, the ministry said.
Israeli and German officials inked the arms deal days before the Israeli Cabinet is set to vote on establishing a governmental committee to investigate the acquisition of submarines and other warships from Thyssenkrupp between 2009 and 2016, under then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The newly acquired submarines are not directly related to that scandal, known as Case 3000.
Several Israeli businessmen, including Netanyahu's confidants and a former navy commander, are suspects in a graft scandal surrounding the purchase of naval armaments from Thyssenkrupp. Netanyahu was not named as a suspect in that scandal, but is currently on trial in three other corruption cases.
20 January 2022, 20:06
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I thought Germany gave Israel free submarines due to the mumble-mumble about racism in Germany's past.
20 January 2022, 20:10
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Israel will have to fork out double the original sum for three submarines after the German corporation ThyssenKrupp raised the price of the vessels, while the German government declined to raise the subsidies it provides to Israel in line with the price increase. The ministerial defense procurement committee authorized the higher payment Sunday without the public or the Knesset being notified.
In 2017, the government signed a memorandum of understanding according to which the Defense Ministry would purchase three submarines at a total cost of 1.8 billion euros ($2.05 billion), based on a 2016 price estimate. The German government agreed to cover a third of the cost of the deal, some 600 million euros.
20 January 2022, 20:27
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Chrome on an eight-year-old Windows 10 computer: sorry for the multiple postings. Naharnet's computer and my old computer just could not communicate: "Sorry, that site cannot be reached." Let me cite the authority for my repeated comment: it's on Haaretz's website. Reuters' story on the new agreement doesn't mention the subsidies, nor does the Star-Tribune of Minnesota. Deutsche Well: "The German government plans to sign a deal on Monday on three submarines for Israel, agreeing not only to the sale of the vessels but also to provide financial support for the purchase as in previous deals, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Monday." This is Thursday, it's on old story, and the "financial support" in the new deal is as stated above (per Haaretz now).
20 January 2022, 20:33
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Deutsche Welle. A "Welle" is a wave. You know, like a political trend that is as solid as rock one second, and, the next instant, we never heard of it. The DW story is on their website right now. DW has some relationship with the German government.
It is financed by the federal government.
GOVERNING BODIES
The Broadcasting Council
According to § 32 of the DW Act, the Broadcasting Council represents the interests of the general public and supervises the compliance of DW with general program guidelines.
Administrative Board
The Administrative Board supervises the management of the Director General beyond the daily program. This body consists of seven members and is chaired by Peter Clever.
20 January 2022, 20:36
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So this "working group of public broadcasters...regional public-service broadcasters" is the federal government's propaganda arm. At least with Hitler someone took responsibility. So the lesson Germans learned from World War Two was, racism and aggression are alright, but just don't let yourself be identified with it.
20 January 2022, 20:38
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But there is great good news here: the German government is backing away from backing Israeli racism/aggression by hitting it in the price-tag: withdrawing subsidies from the submarine deal.
