Hamas uses Chinese weapons against Israel

[New Sancai Compilation and First Release] According to Israeli news media N12, the Israel Defense Forces seized a "large number" of Chinese weapons used by terrorists in Gaza.

Carice Witte, CEO and founder of SIGNAL Group and an expert on China-Israel relations, said it was unlikely that Chinese weapons were purchased directly from Beijing.

"China has an extensive arms industry," Witte said. "By definition, it will not sell weapons to non-state entities, it will certainly sell weapons to [Middle East] countries."

Witte explained that illegal sales by third countries or independent Chinese actors could be the reason why Chinese weapons fall into the hands of Hamas in Gaza.

"The trade relations between China and Middle Eastern countries are well known, even countries subject to Western sanctions," she added. "It's not impossible for such a weapon to fall into the wrong hands."

Witte stressed that Israel "must verify this issue with official Chinese authorities."

China has close ties with Iran, which is behind the current attacks on Israel and terror proxies destabilizing the Middle East — Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and others.

In March 2021, China and Iran signed a 25-year comprehensive economic and security partnership, which was implemented in January 2022 of the following year. Part of the agreement between the two countries involves the Iranian regime accepting $400 billion worth of Chinese investment over the next 25 years.

According to the "Iran Primer" published by the United States Institute of Peace, the China-Iran agreement will include "in training and research, defense industry, military joint ventures (such as joint production of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters) and strategic cooperation, as well as in asymmetric warfare, Exchange experiences in counter-terrorism and combating drug trafficking.

China is Iran's largest trading partner and has been Iran's largest trading partner for more than two decades. The total trade between the two countries is approximately US$20 billion.

When the China-Iran agreement was signed in 2021, Amos Yadlin, the former chief of military intelligence of the Israel Defense Forces and director of the National Security Institute, expressed concerns about the military and security aspects of the close relationship between the two countries.

"One of the most concerning provisions of the deal between Iran and China is intelligence sharing," Yadlin warned.

"China is putting itself in an unprecedented situation. Fundamentally, China opposes the Iranian nuclear bomb, but on the other hand, it will not help stop Iran. Iran also needs political support from China to prevent the United States from attacking it." Pressure. The Chinese understand that the Biden administration is not the Trump administration, and they can be more aggressive."

It is unclear whether Hamas has Chinese weapons as a result of the China-Iran deal, as the Asian giant sells weapons to multiple countries in the Middle East, with the main importers being Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, according to the Institute for National Security Studies. Arabian Peninsula.

(Compiled by: Wang Jimin)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: First published by Xinsancai)