Israel will establish a new body to address arms embargo threats, which have increased significantly during the nearly two-year war against Hamas in Gaza. Another aim is to reduce dependency on the United States for weapons supplies.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the creation of the “Munitions Directorate,” Channel 12 reported on Saturday. The directorate is to be headed by Defense Ministry director-general Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram.
Baram’s responsibilities will include identifying armament gaps and preparing for future threats, managing supply, production and knowledge transfer agreements with other countries, centralizing the monitoring of a national stockpile of critical armaments and developing emergency production capabilities and rapid output in times of war or escalation, according to the Hebrew outlet.
Israel’s relations with the United States during the Biden administration and currently with European powers has been severely tested over the course of the war, including the threat of arms embargos.
The leftist government in Madrid led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been particularly hostile to Jerusalem. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Saturday that the country is preparing to approve a comprehensive arms embargo against Israel, banning all military trade and technology exports.
The ruling coalition is also reportedly planning to declare Netanyahu and other Israeli ministers persona non grata and prevent their entry to the country.
