Posted on 08/19/2025 8:42:56 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
Serbia has reportedly signed a major contract with Israeli weapons producer Elbit Systems, emphasising the emerging political alliance between the two countries.
On August 17, Israeli media reported that the Balkan country would acquire defence technology for $1.6 billion (€1.4 billion) over a five-year period.
The agreement comprises two groups of products. On the one hand, Serbia will buy long-range precision strike artillery-rocket systems as well as different unmanned reconnaissance and drones. On the other hand, the country is investing in ISTAR capabilities (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance), which will include night-vision equipment and electronic warfare systems...
The agreement will also include industrial co-operation between Israel and Serbia, according to Elbit Systems...
Serbia had already signed a deal to procure artillery systems and drones from Elbit for $335 million (€286.9 million) in January 2025.
Defence analyst Aleksandar Radić said the deals with Elbit had a political background as the Israeli Government under President Binyamin Netanyahu was a strong supporter of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić...
The military analyst added that Vučić had made a strong strategic shift towards the US and Israel in recent months and that the size of the new contract might arise great interest in Serbia's neighbouring countries -- "and a dose of jealousy given how many weapons are being purchased".
Elbit System is Israel's biggest weapons manufacturer with revenues of $5.5 billion (€4.71 billion) in 2023 and about 20,000 employees.
(Excerpt) Read more at brusselssignal.eu ...
from the FRchives:
Serbia will buy arms from Israel and open Mission in JerusalemSerbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday that Serbia intends to buy weapons from Israel... In an interview for the Jerusalem Post, Vucic said Serbia also plans to open a diplomatic mission and an economic office in Jerusalem. "We're going to open very soon not only an office of our chamber of commerce but, together with our chamber of commerce, an official state office in Jerusalem with a Serbian official flag alongside our embassy in Tel Aviv," the president said.
March 3, 2020 | EURACTIV.rs | Updated: September 29, 2024
On the fringes of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, D.C., in response to a question about the anti-Israeli Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign in Western Europe, Vucic said Serbia will buy arms from Israel and that it will "not be a small delivery."
The president added that Serbia is "not a fertile ground for anti-Semitic messages," and that BDS does not exist in Serbia...
Meanwhile, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti wrote to US President Donald Trump, affirming his government's commitment to resolving the remaining issues with Serbia, Pristina's media reported on 2 March...
The prime minister promised that his government would start on 15 March lifting tariffs on products from Serbia and Bosnia, which the previous cabinet had introduced...
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Sijjarto said during a visit to Belgrade on 2 March that Serbia was prepared to open five chapters in accession negotiations with the European Union (EU), arguing that Serbia's EU accession was key to a stronger Union.
All the information given below is info Israel and its annoying stalwarts do not want you to know.
While this is a form of “foreign aid,” it is important to note that Israel’s total control of Congress has sometimes allowed it to inveigle Congress into transforming by law “Israel’s bills due for military aid” into “gifts.”
<><>Grants for purchases: The FMF program provides grant funding that Israel uses to purchase defense articles and services from the United States.
<><>Long-term agreement: This funding is part of a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and Israeli governments, ensuring a consistent level of military assistance. The current MOU allocates $3.3 billion annually for FMF and an additional $500 million for cooperative missile defense programs. Not direct gifts, no: Israel “uses these funds to purchase US military equipment and services.
It is also crucial to be aware that the U.S. may provide additional military assistance to Israel beyond the FMF program, particularly during times of conflict or emergencies, as evidenced by Bide’s supplemental appropriations of over $17 billion tax dollars following the October 7, 2023, attacks. It was an election year, after all.
In essence, while the U.S. provides substantial US tax dollars for Israel’s defense needs through the FMF program, it’s structured as a turnaround——tax dollars given for “purchases”.....
.......until Israel decides to have “purchases” turned into “gifts” by law, thru the ever-present Israeli lobbyists intimidating and controlling Congress.
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