Originally published on International Middle East Mdia Center
This September, the world’s largest arms fair will be held in London. The DSEI weapons exhibition will be hosting political and military delegations from around the world who will be shopping for drones, guns, missiles, tanks and ammunition from the thousands of arms companies who will be attending.
Why Israel in particular? Surely all the weapons will be used against someone?
Aye. Kinda gives the impression that, without Israeli involvement, arms dealing is bad but not so bad. I can think of the militaries of various countries that have killed far more people than the Israeli army has.... er... the US, UK, Russian, Syrian and Saudi Arabian governments/militaries just off the top of my head. Hmm... smacks of Palestinian nationalist nonsense to me.
Yep. Saudi-Arabia would have been a far better and bloody example to show what arms trade is intended for. But the wahabits islamist regime is most propably not a target for the supporters of Palestinian nationalism.
But, but, but... Anti-Imperialism!
This article is part of a bigger writing project about the arms sold at DSEI, we have not just written about arms sales to Israel, but also posted articles critical of arms sales to:
Indonesia: https://libcom.org/news/west-papuas-silent-genocide-03092017
Saudi Arabia: https://libcom.org/news/saudi-s-bombing-campaign-destroying-my-country-yemen-britain-helping-them-do-it-02092017
and https://libcom.org/news/you-cant-build-jobs-corpses-innocents-23072017
and Turkey:
https://libcom.org/news/turkey-will-buy-sell-weapons-london-september-23072017
and the links between the arms trade and the border regime: https://libcom.org/news/dsei-supermarket-state-surveillance-border-wars-04092017
We are releasing an article next week on the companies the arms used in Syria are being supplied by.
The kind of accusations posted above are fairly typical of the arguments used to undermine criticisms of Israeli state policies and shows what Palestinian grassroots movements are up against. It underlines the need for solidarity even more.
Today, 4th September, is the Stop Arming Israel day of action against DSEI - https://www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/events/
Well, tbf to the commenters, all but one of the articles you listed above were posted after they'd already made their comments (the other one being posted over two months ago, so you can forgive them for not making the connection immediately). Without the additional context you provided, it did look odd that an article about an arms fair would only take issue with arms being sold to Israel
What accusations? No accusations have been made other than the article sounding like a nationalist text. And as Ed points out, the comments were posted when this text was in isolation, long before you posted other texts to balance things out a bit. On it's own it's a nationalist piece, but in conjunction with the other pieces, possibly less so.
I don't agree that calling for an end of the sale of arms to the Israeli state, because of their military policies towards Palestinians, is in any way nationalist.
I didn't say that either.
Shoal Collective
Yeah, I don't think that's how people meant it and I think the addition of other articles has made the purpose of the article clearer (i.e. a look at one of the oppressive regimes, among the many, at DSEI; as opposed to previously where it seemed like it was 'look how bad DSEI is: they're selling arms to Israel, the only oppressive regime worth mentioning').
Of course, that is what Zionists often argue ('why do you concentrate on our crimes? Look at the others!') but that often makes me laugh coz they have to implicitly accept similarity with other brutal regimes!