Government ‘lapses’ some defence export permits to Israel

The federal government has withdrawn some defence product export permits to Israel due to the ‘high intensity conflict' engulfing the Middle East.

The Senate foreign affairs, defence and trade committee was told that the Department of Defence had examined export permits to Israel at the request of the government.

Defence ‘provided advice' to government and according to a Defence spokesman: “The government has responded to Defence in the bulk of the contracts.

“For the majority of the permits the government has directed that Defence takes no action in relation to those permits.

“A smaller component of those permits, around about 16, the government has directed that Defence either lapse or amend those permits, and then the remainder we are still working through that list as any decision to lapse or amend permits involves very close consultation with industry.”

It was not revealed which products are affected by the government decision, however Canberra has said that no Australian export permits were issued to Israel for lethal weaponry.

Greens Senator for NDW David Shoebridge took to social media and said: “The Defence Minister has repeatedly tried to say that none of these permits were for weapons and all were ‘dual use' items, but that we now know is plainly untrue.”

Shoebridge called for an end to Australian military exports to Israel and said that more than 350 defence export permits to Israel had been granted by the government, with 50 granted this year.

Shoebridge said: “There is a remarkable lack of transparency when it comes to Australia's military exports.

“No details are given of the weapons or type of systems that's been exported.

“…Of course Australia should not be exporting weapons into a conflict zone.”

Picture: Senator David Shoebridge