Posted on 11/17/2004 2:23:00 AM PST by white trash redneck
"Israel mercenaries assisting the Ivory Coast army operated unmanned aircraft that aided aerial bombings of a French base in the country," claimed French television station TF1 on Wednesday morning.
Le Monde newspaper also reported Wednesday that a group of 46 Israeli advisors operated an eavesdropping and intelligence center for the Ivory Coast military.
An Israeli defense source quoted Wednesday morning on Israel Radio said there is no truth to the French reports that Israelis assisted the Ivory Coast in its attacks on French military installations.
According to the source, the Israeli unmanned aircraft confiscated by the French in the Abidjan airport, had been legally sold to the Ivory Coast by a private company not connected to Israeli military industries.
Following the confiscation of the unmanned aircraft, France asked Israel to clarify the circumstances of their presence in the West African state and Israel promised to stop supplying the Ivory Coast with military equipment.
Nevertheless, the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said in response that "Israel is unaware of the matter."
The United Nations Security Council on Monday imposed an immediate arms embargo on Ivory Coast to spur the African country to end anti-foreigner rampages, while France concluded the evacuation of more than 5,000 westerners fleeing the violence.
The Security Council's resolution Monday also said that further sanctions, including a travel ban and an asset freeze, could be imposed if the peace process with northern rebels isn't back on track within a month.
Israel halts arms sales at French request Israel decided to suspend arms sales to Ivory Coast in response to a French request, the Defense Ministry announced on November 9.
The request came in the wake of recent turmoil in the West African country. Ivory Coast warplanes killed nine French peacekeepers and an American aid worker in an airstrike on the rebel-held north.
France, Ivory Coast's former colonial ruler, wiped out the nation's air force on the tarmac in retaliation, sparking massive anti-French rampages by mobs of thousands in the fiercely nationalist south.
France had already requested two months ago that both the Israeli government and private Israeli arms merchants stop exporting weapons to the Ivory Coast, since this endangered French soldiers.
Over the past year, the Defense Ministry has continued to grant export permits to Israeli arms traders doing business with Ivory Coast.
Aeronautics Defense Systems, which is based in Yavneh, is one of the Israeli companies that has sold military-related goods - including drones and riot-dispersal equipment - to Ivory Coast. In addition, arms dealer Moshe Rothschild has sold Ivory Coast ammunition and light weapons made in Eastern Europe.
But of course; the anti-Semite frogs have to blame Israel.
Anytime anyone works to defeat France anywhere in the world... it is quite OK by me.
In truth, the Ivory Coast's South is trying to defend itself against the imposition of Sharia by the Islamofascists in the North.
If defending freedom is fiercely nationalist, sign me up.
Very...Very funny!
Quite a picture! Where did you get it or did you somehow create it?
Time for some good ole USA weapon sales to the Ivory Coast. Two can play at this game. We could be the Ivorians' "Lafayette".
Old Monty Python skit.
Thanks for the laughs, and here's one back at ya. ;)
Maybe the problem has been all these years .....THE FRENCH DIDN'T WANT TO BE LIBERTED FROM THE NAZI'S
First France should stop sending subs to Israel, then it may talk about Israeli sells to Ivory Coast, if there were such sells.
come on guy. I think about 15 boy scout troops could defeat France.
The frogs do the "BIG SPIN"......L.O.L.
And if they did, so what?
First of all, the country named Frarab shouldnt have sent subs to Israel.
Second, we will never forget who was the first to welcome Arafat in its land and then to be the first to make a ceremony for this terrorist's death- a country named Frarab.
Third, if any sells were preformed, they were all legitime, unlike the global actions of Frarab.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.