Israel signs deals with military firm Elbit to make bombs domestically

Israel’s Defence Ministry said today it had signed deals worth around $275 million with the country’s largest domestic arms maker Elbit ESLT.TA to make heavy bombs and raw materials needed for its weapons, reducing dependence on imports, Reuters reports.

“These strategic agreements are crucial for enhancing the Israel Defence Force’s operational endurance and force build-up capabilities,” it said, describing the need to reduce dependence on imports as “a central lesson” from the war on Gaza.

Under one agreement, Elbit will supply the military with thousands of heavy air munitions. The second deal would establish a plant to produce raw materials previously sourced mainly from abroad. The ministry did not specify the raw materials but suggested they were used to make munitions.

“Today, we are laying the foundations for expanding manufacturing independence in two critical areas for the IDF’s operational sustainability – domestic production of heavy air munitions and establishing a national raw materials plant,” said Eyal Zamir, director general of the defence ministry.

“Both agreements will ensure sovereign capability in producing bombs and munitions of all types.​​​​​”

Some Western governments have publicly expressed reservations about supplying arms to Israel during its war on Gaza, which rights groups have described as a genocide. US President Joe Biden paused shipments of some bombs last year over concern they would be used in built-up areas.

Rights groups have warned that Elbit Systems markets its munitions as “field tested” on Palestinian civilians, notably Gazans who are mostly children and refugees.

Taking on Israel’s arms industry: MEMO in Conversation with Ronnie Barkan