Irangate:TheIsraelConnection

excerptedfromthebook

TheIranContraConnection
SecretTeamsandCovertOperationsintheReaganEra
byJohnathanMarshall,PeterDaleScott,andJaneHunter
SouthEndPress,1987,paper

p169
TheIsraeliInterestinIran
...IsraeliinterestsinnonArabIranbecameprominentasearlyasthe1950s,whenMossad,
Israel'sforeignintelligenceagency,cooperatedwiththeCIAinestablishingtheShah'ssecret
police,SAVAK.A1979CIAreportonMossadnotesthat:
ThemainpurposeoftheIsraelirelationshipwithIranwasthedevelopmentofaproIsraeland
antiArabpolicyonthepartofIranianofficials.Mossadhasengagedinjointoperationswith
SAVAKovertheyearssincethelate1950s.MossadaidedSAVAKactivitiesandsupportedthe
KurdsinIraq.TheIsraelisalsoregularlytransmittedtotheIraniansintelligencereportson
Egypt'sactivitiesintheArabcountries,trendsanddevelopmentsinIraq,andCommunist
activitiesaffectingIran."
CooperationbetweenIsraelandIrantouchedmanyfields,includingoil,trade,airtransport,and
variousformsoftechnicalassistance.Buttheirmostimportantmutualinterestwasinthemilitary
sphere.

LiketheUnitedStates,IsraelcementeditsrelationshipwithIranbytheexchangeofarmsforoil,
whichbothsideskeptalivethroughtheworstoftheOPECoilembargo.TheIranianarmsmarket
wasworthatleast$500millionayeartoIsrael.TheShahboughteverythingfromGabrielanti
shipmissilestoadvancedcommunicationsequipment.In1977,Israelarrangeda$1billionarms
foroildealaroundOperationFlower,ajointIsraeliIranianprojecttobuildanuclearcapable
surfacetosurfacemissile.AndliketheirAmericancounterparts,certainIsraelisalsoseemtohave
beenpartofthecorruptnexusthroughwhichtopIranianpoliticalandmilitaryleaderswere
enrichedthrougharmssalecommissions."WhentheIsraelisdecidetochangetheirpolicy,"one
topStateDepartmentofficialtoldareporterinthemid1970s,"thefirstplacetheIsraelijet
touchesdownisTehran.MosheDayanisinandoutoftherequitefrequently."
NoIsraelirepresentativeinIranduringtheShah'sreignwasmoresignificantorinfluentialthan
Ya'acovNimrodi,Israel'smilitaryattach.Hereportedlyhelpedorganizeandencouragethe
rebellionofKurdishtribesmenagainstIraq,theShah'smainpoliticalandmilitaryrivalinthe
region.AsthechiefgovernmentagentforIsrael'sburgeoningarmsindustry,knownasanall
purpose"fixer,"NimrodiwasintimatewiththeShahandhisgenerals."Iwasinpartnershipwith
theShah,"hetoldfriends.(Amongothercoups,NimrodisoldtheIranianarmyontheUzi
submachinegun.)AndastheMossadagentwhocouldproperlyboastofhaving"built"SAVAK
intoanefficientifbrutalintelligenceservice,hewasnolessintimatewiththekeepersoftheShah's
secrets.WiththearrivaloftheKhomeiniregime,Nimrodikeptopenhislinesofcommunicationas
aprivatearmsdealerwhowouldbecomecentraltotheReaganarmsforhostagetalks.
ThoughIsrael,alongwiththeUnitedStates,sufferedagrievouslosswiththefalloftheShah,its
leadersconcludedthatlastinggeopoliticalinterestswouldeventuallytriumphoverreligious
ideologyandproduceanaccommodationbetweenTelAvivandTehran.TheonsetoftheIranIraq
warin1980gaveIsraelileadersaspecialincentivetokeeptheirdooropentotheIslamicrulersin
Iran:thetwononArabcountriesnowsharedacommonArabenemy.AsIsraeliDefenseMinister
ArielSharontoldtheWashingtonPostinMay1982,justifyingIsraeliarmssalestoTehran,"Iraq
isIsrael'senemyandwehopethatdiplomaticrelationsbetweenusandIranwillberenewedasin
thepast."FourmonthslaterhetoldaParispressconference,"Israelhasavitalinterestinthe
continuingofthewarinthePersianGulf,andinIran'svictory."SuchviewswerenotSharon's
alonePrimeMinistersItzhakShamir(Likud)andShimonPeres(Labor)sharedthemtoo.
Tothisday,prominentIsraelisstillarguethatstrategiccalculusunashamedly.RetiredGen.
AharonYariv,formerheadofmilitaryintelligence,toldaconferenceatTelAvivUniversityinlate
1986that"itwouldbegoodiftheIranIraqwarendedinatie,butitwouldbeevenbetterifit
continued."Otherwise,Iraqmightopenan"easternfront"againstIsrael.19Thecarnageof
humanlifedidn'tfigureintheequationatall.UriLubrani,Israel'schiefrepresentativeinIran
undertheShahandNimrodi'ssuperiorinMossad,recentlyjustifiedcontinuedarmssalesbecause
"KhomeinismwilldisappearandIsraelandtheUnitedStateswillagainhaveinfluenceinIran."
Oneotherconsideration,rarelyarticulated,alsoswayedsuccessiveIsraelileaders:money.
AccordingtoGarySick,anexpertonIranwhoservedontheNSCunderPresidentsFord,Carter
andReagan,"Israelacknowledgedthatarmssalesweregoodbusiness.Oneoutof10Israeli
workersisemployedinarmsrelatedproductionmilitaryitemsconstitutemorethanaquarterof
Israel'sindustrialexports."ThedistinguishedIsraelidefensecorrespondentZe'evSchiffstates
thatIsrael'sprolranpolicyhasbeen"guidedbyaravenoushungerforprofitratherthanby
strategicconsiderations..."
ThishungerwasallthemoreacuteinviewofsevereunemploymentthathittheIsraeliarms

industryin1979aftertheIranmarketshriveled.Nimrodi,theMossadagentturnedarmsdealer,
recalledthatwhenhereportedtotheIsraeligovernmentonthemillionsofdollarstobehadfrom
armssalestoKhomeini'sIran,"people'seyeslituphere.Theyhavebeenlayingpeopleoffinthe
defenseindustry,andthismeantjobs."
TheArmsChannelOpens
IsraellostnotimesupplyingthenewKhomeiniregimewithsmallquantitiesofarms,evenafterthe
seizureoftheU.S.embassy.ThefirstsalesincludedsparepartsforU.S.madeF4Phantomjetsa
laterdealinOctober1980includedpartsforU.S.madetanks.IsraelinformedWashington,only
"afterthefact,whentheywerefardownthelineandrightintothemiddleofthething,"according
toaformerStateDepartmentofficial.ToBegin'sexpostfactorequestforapproval,"theanswer
wasinstant,unequivocalandnegative,"writesGarySick,theIranexpertonCarter'sNSC.
TheWhiteHousewasinfactaghasttofindthatitsembargohadbeenflatlyviolated."Welearned
muchtoourdismay,"Brzezinskinotedlater,"thattheIsraelishadbeensecretlysupplying
AmericansparepartstotheIranianswithoutmuchconcernforthenegativeimpactthiswas
havingonourleveragewiththeIraniansonthehostageissue."SecretaryofStateEdmundMuskie
demandedthatIsraelceaseitsshipmentsPrimeMinisterBeginpromisedtocomply.Infact,
however,thesupplylinestayedopenwithoutWashington'sapproval,carryingtankpartsand
ammunition.
Whydidn'ttheadministrationcrackdown?Onereasonissimplythatnopresidentsince
EisenhowerhaseverreallypunishedIsraelforactingagainstU.S.interests.PrimeMinisterBegin
bombedtheIraqinuclearreactor,invadedLebanon,annexedtheGolanheightsandspeededup
thesettlementoftheoccupiedWestBankmuchtotheReaganadministration'sembarrassment,
butconsiderationsofmilitarystrategyandIsrael'spoliticalcloutinCongressalwaysgavethe
clientstatetheupperhand.
Moreover,theadministrationcouldrarelyprovewhatitsuspected.Israeldiditsbesttodisguise
theseshipmentsbyusinglayersofforeignbrokerstocloaktheirsource.NotesHa'aretz
correspondentYo'avKarny"ThecloakofsecrecythatsurroundsIsraeliarmsexportsissotight
thatonecancompareittothetechniqueforsmugglingharddrugs."Whencaughtintheact,
Israeliofficialsmaintainedtheyweresimplysellingdomesticarms,notembargoedU.S.weapons.
"Wheneverwewouldgetwordofshipments,"oneAmericanofficialexplained,"theState
DepartmentwouldraisetheissuewithIsrael,andwewouldgetthestandardlectureandpromises
thattherewerenoU.S.weaponsinvolved."
Thatstandardlecturewasclearlyfalse,thoughWashingtonmayhavelackedusableevidenceto
proveit.U.S.madeweaponswereverymuchforsale.On24July1981,IsraeliarmsdealerYa'acov
Nimrodilatertoplayavitalroleinthearmsforhostagesnegotiationsapparentlysignedadeal
withIran'sMinistryofNationalDefensetosell$135,842,000worthofarms,includingLance
missiles,CopperheadshellsandHawkmissiles.AsaleofsuchmagnitudemusthavehadIsraeli
governmentacquiescence.Nimrodi'sclosepersonalfriendArielSharon,awartimecomradefrom
the1948struggle,likelykepttabson,ifhedidnotdirect,theprivatedealer'ssaleswithIran.
Sometimethesameyear,DavidKimche,directorgeneralofIsrael'sforeignministry,apparently
approachedSecretaryofStateAlexanderHaigandhiscounselorRobertMcFarlanetodiscuss
proposedIsraelishipmentsof$10millionto$15millioninsparepartsto"moderates"inIran.

Kimchemayhavebeenreferringtoacontracttosupply360tonsoftanksparesandammunition
worthabout$28million,twicehisestimatetoIranbyairviaCyprus.ButHaigdeniesthatheever
approvedanysuchshipments,aclaimstrengthenedbytheadmissionofIsraeliofficialsthatthey
wentaheadbasedonlyonHaig'sallegedfailuretodisapprove.Inanycase,theshipmentsin
questionpaledbesidewhatNimrodiwasthenarranging.
InNovember1981,IsraeliDefenseMinisterSharonvisitedWashington,shoppingforapprovalof
similararmssales.HisUS.counterpartCasparWeinberger,flatlyturnedhimdown.Sharonthen
wenttoHaig,hopingforacquiescencefromtheStateDepartment.Again,McFarlanehandled
manyofthediscussionswithSharonandKimchethistimeHaigunequivocallyopposedany
violationoftheembargo.
InnumerousdiscussionswithIsraeliofficialsthereafter,administrationdecisionmakersflatly
refusedrequestsforpermitstoshipU.S.armstoIran,andstrenuouslydiscouragedIsraelfrom
sendingitsownweaponstotheradicalKhomeiniregime.UndersecretaryofStateLawrence
EagleburgeratonepointsummonedtheIsraeliambassadortoprotesthiscountry'scontinued
salesonlytobeassuredthattheyhadbeenstopped.AndofficialswhoranOperationStaunch,the
projecttoblockIran'saccesstotheworldarmsmarket,wereneverdiscouragedfromextending
theireffortstoIsraelilinkeddeals.
Yetasin197980,Israelpursueditspolicyanyway,inflatviolationofitsarmsreexport
agreementswiththePentagon.InaMay1982interviewwiththeWashingtonPost,Sharonclaimed
thatIsraelishipmentshadbeencleared"withourAmericancolleagues"monthsearlierandthat
detailsofalltheshipmentsweresuppliedtotheadministration.Laterthatyear,Israel's
ambassadorMosheArensdeclaredthatIsrael'sarmssaleswereclearedat"almostthehighest
levels"inWashington,"inconsequential"insize,anddesignedtounderminetheKhomeiniregime.
BothtimestheStateDepartmentflatlycontradictedtheIsraelis'claims.AtleastSharonandArens
weremorecrediblethanForeignMinisterShimonPeres,whodeclaredaftertheIrangatescandal
brokein1986that"Israel'spolicyisnottosellarmstoIran."
Allthestandardpropagandathemesandpracticeswereinplace.Israelwouldcontinueseeking
approvalforarmssalesonthebasisoftheirpotentialpoliticalleverage,butwouldshiparmswilly
nillywhilefalselyclaimingWashington'ssanction.
Andthoseshipmentswouldcontinuetobeenormousinsize,estimatedbyexpertsattheJaffee
InstituteforStrategicStudiesinTelAvivat$500millioninvaluefrom198083.Otherarms
marketexpertshaveputthetotalvalueatmorethanS500millionayear,includingaircraftparts,
artilleryandammunition.
AnecdotesaboundintheworldpressrelatingtoIsraelisalestoIran:
*InMarch1982,theNewYorkTimesciteddocumentsindicatingthatIsraelhadsuppliedhalfor
moreofallarmsreachingTehranintheprevious18months,amountingtoatleast$100millionin
sales.
*ForeignintelligencesourcestoldAerospaceDailyinAugust1982thatIsrael'ssupportwas
"crucial"tokeepingIran'sairforceflyingagainstIraq.
*AnallegedformerCIAagentreportedlyvisitedIsraelin1982,metwiththechiefofstaffofthe

IsraeliDefenseForcesandheadofmilitaryintelligence,and"struckadealwiththeminvolvingthe
transferofweaponsandequipment,capturedbyIsraelduringtheLebanonwar,toIran."
*IsraelisourcestoldNewsweekthat"theysoldtheIraniansmuchofthelightweaponryand
ammunitionthattheIsraeliarmyhadcapturedduringitsinvasionofLebanonsubsequently,they
soldoverhauledjetengines,sparepartsforAmericanmadeM48tanks,ammunitionandother
hardwareS100millionworthin1983alone."
*NewsweekalsoreportedthatafteranIraniandefectorlandedhisF4PhantomjetinSaudi
Arabiain1984,intelligenceexpertsdeterminedthatmanyofitspartshadoriginallybeensoldto
Israel,andhadthenbeenreexportedtoTehraninviolationofU.S.Iaw.
*In1984andearly1985,asingleoneofIsrael'smanyEuropeanbrokers,basedinSweden,
reportedlyshippedhundredsoftonsofTNTandotherexplosivestoIran,oftenbywayof
Argentina,worth500millionkroner.
*TheMilanweeklyPanoramareportedthatIsraelhadsoldtheKhomeiniregime45,000Uzi
submachineguns,antitankmissilelaunchers,missiles,howitzersandaircraftreplacementparts.
"AlargepartofthebootyfromthePLOduringthe1982Lebanoncampaignwoundupin
Tehran,"themagazineclaimed.
*ManilanewspapershavereportedsincetheIrangatescandalbrokethatformerarmedforces
chiefofstaffGen.FabianVer,acronyofFerdinandMarcos,suppliedphonyendusercertificates
toallowIsraeliintermediariestodivertU.S.armstoIranin1984.

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