Skip to main content

The billion-dollar deal that is stirring up Israeli army

Senior IDF officers say that Israel should not have purchased three new submarines from Germany, but rather invested the money in air and ground defense.
Israel Navy soldiers stand on the Rahav, the fifth submarine in the fleet, as it docks in Haifa port January 12, 2016. The Dolphin-class submarines, widely believed to be capable of firing nuclear missiles, were manufactured in Germany and sold to Israel at deep discounts as part of Berlin's commitment to shoring up the security of the country set in part as a haven for Jews who survived the Holocaust.    REUTERS/Baz Ratner - RTX221FX

On Oct. 26, the Israeli Cabinet secretly authorized a huge weapons transaction that developed under the radar over the recent year: Three additional Dolphin-class submarines will be purchased from a German shipyard in the port city of Kiel. A memorandum of understanding between Israel and Germany is expected to be signed this month in Berlin.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.