[bawolff]

There's a pretty big difference between israel, the country spying on somebody out of national interest, and israel allowing what is essentially an arms-dealer based in israel to help random other people spy on countries they are allied with.

I highly doubt that israel the country wanted this turn of events, for the simple reason they are not stupid and the cost-benefit ratio of this seems bad for them.

[wayoutthere]

The state of Israel is already one of the most prolific arms dealers in the world. Something like 10% of weapons (everything from rifles and ammo to tanks and precision guided missiles) sold every year globally are made in Israel. They will sell to anyone (through intermediaries if the political optics don’t align), and have ample opportunity to combat test weapons thanks to the low-grade civil war they’ve been waging against the Arabs for the last 70 years.

They won’t want to be seen as reining in Israeli military overreach because there’s a feeder pipeline from the Israeli military into both politics and the weapons industry. It’s the same people running the country that are selling these weapons.

[hermes8329]

History has shown that the two are tightly involved. Plus it's not like they will ever really be held accountable. Pollard the traitor is a hero to Israel

[ryanlol]

> Pollard the traitor is a hero to Israel

Well… obviously? How else could Israel treat him?

[vkou]

> There's a pretty big difference between israel, the country spying on somebody out of national interest, and israel allowing what is essentially an arms-dealer based in israel to help random other people spy on countries they are allied with.

Yes and sort of and no.

The thing with weapons is that occasionally you sell them to people you end up fighting. Take the Falklands war - Argentina was using American, French, and British weapons to fight the British. It happens, it's a bit of egg on everyone's face, but it is what it is.

When you're a major arms dealer, you'll eventually end up selling guns to an enemy of your ally, or supposed ally.