The challenge in defanging the Palestine laboratory

My new essay in the UK-based Middle East Eye examines my new book, The Palestine Laboratory, and also details the growing Israeli influence on Taiwan and other nation states.

An extract:

The Israeli defence industry inspires nations across the globe, many of which view themselves as under threat from external enemies.

The Taiwanese foreign minister, Joseph Wu, recently told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that: “Every aspect of the Israeli fighting capability is amazing to the Taiwanese people and the Taiwanese government.”

Wu explained that he appreciated how Israel protected its own country because, “basically, we [Taiwan] have barely started. The fighting experiences of Israel are something we’re not quite sure about ourselves. We haven’t had any war in the last four or five decades, but Israel has that kind of experience”.

Wu also expressed interest in Israeli weapons, suggesting his country had considered their usefulness in any potential war with China.

“Israel has the Iron Dome,” he said, referring to Israel’s defence system against short-range missiles. “We should look at some of the technology that has been used by the Israelis in its defence. I’m not sure whether we can copy it, but I think we can look at it and learn from it.”

The Palestine laboratory is so successful because nobody wants to seriously regulate the fruits of its labours.

Read the whole thing: For Israel’s arms industry, Palestinians are the weapons lab guineapigs | Middle East Eye

 

Text and images ©2024 Antony Loewenstein. All rights reserved.

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