ISRAELI MOD DG TOREN FORCEFULLY OBJECTS TO U.S.

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000683 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/IPA (MAHER),PM/RSAT (ROBINSON) E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2016 TAGS: PREL MASS MARR RS IS IN MILITARY RELATIONS ISRAEL RELATIONS SUBJECT: ISRAELI MOD DG TOREN FORCEFULLY OBJECTS TO U.S. POSITION ON ELTA RADARS ON RUSSIAN MIGS DESTINED FOR INDIA REF: A. STATE 04560 ¶B. STATE 19516 Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones. Reasons: 1.4 (b, d). ¶1. (S) Responding to ref A points, MOD DG Jacob Toren told the Ambassador on February 8 that: -- He cannot agree with the U.S. position and urges the U.S. to re-examine its objections. Agreeing to the U.S. position on the ELTA radar transfer to Russia sets another precedent that Israel cannot accept. Toren stressed, "We accept your concerns about China. I personally review any export destined for China. We cannot, however, make the entire world our enemy. Russia is a friend of Israel. We must be able to continue to work with Russian platforms. Russia is not the enemy, and India is a strategic ally." (NOTE: Toren was very forceful in presenting this point. END NOTE.) -- If USG objections are of a technical nature, Toren requests that we put technical teams together as soon as possible to find a solution that allows the ELTA radar deal to go forward, and meets U.S. security concerns. (COMMENT: If the USG decides to send a technical team, it needs to be prepared to educate the Israelis on U.S. technical objections and make a solid case for continued U.S. opposition to the proposal, if the USG maintains opposition to it. END COMMENT.) -- If Israel is forced to accept the U.S. position and not even supply the unclassified version of its ELTA radars to Russia, Russia will go elsewhere. India will then question Israel's commitment to it as a strategic ally. -- There is a lingering sense that Israel is being singled out, or that the U.S. is applying a double standard. France and other U.S. allies are selling sensitive equipment to Iran, and Israel does not see them being presented with U.S. objections. Israel knows that Russia is selling SA-15s and MANPADs to Syria, but Israel also sees the U.S. selling sensitive military systems to Saudi Arabia. -- Israel does not believe that its proposal jeopardizes U.S. interests. -- Israel hopes U.S. objections are not based on commercial competition. Toren noted that the Indians are going to issue an RFP for F-16s and F-18s this year. The Israeli government told the Indian government it would be pleased to work with any U.S. aircraft manufacturer(s) the Indians designate. Israeli officials also relayed this to Boeing and Lockheed Martin representatives. Israel defense contractors are currently obtaining all the necessary licenses from the Israeli Government so that they can work with whichever of the two U.S. defense contractors wins India's bid for fighter aircraft. ¶2. (S) Toren asked the Ambassador for assistance in expediting USG decisions on Israeli contracts for security-related projects connected to the Olympic games in China. He noted that Israel has been waiting three months for USG decisions on some of the contracts. Toren said he also looked forward to the USG lifting the ban on exporting night vision goggles to Israel -- as was agreed at the JPMG -- stressing that they are "badly needed" in Israel. ¶3. (S) In delivering the points and responding to Toren's concerns, the Ambassador stressed that: -- Even if the U.S. agrees with Israel that India is a key to stability in South Asia, the USG is still concerned that the Russians will gain access to technology that they currently do not possess even from the unclassified version of the radar that Israel wants to integrate into the MiG-29s destined for India. -- Washington is concerned that the Russians will incorporate the technology into their own products destined for China and Iran. -- In reference to Toren's comment on India's bid for fighters, the USG position on the ELTA radar deal is not based on commercial reasons. -- He will relay Toren's desire that U.S. and Israeli technical teams meet to discuss USG objections to the deal, and consider if a mutually satisfactory resolution can be found. ¶4. (S) The Ambassador promised to relay Toren's position to Washington, and to check on the situation concerning the Israeli projects connected with the Olympic games in China, and the lifting of the ban on night-vision goggles. ¶5. (U) The Ambassador also delivered to Toren ref B points on the IAEA's decision to report Iran to the UNSC, and the President and Secretary Rice's statements on the decision. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** JONES