At the beginning of May, the Egyptian navy received the third submarine out of four that Egypt had bought from the German corporation Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. These submarines were greeted by headlines not only in Egypt but also in Israel, because here they star in the “submarine affair,” which is considered by pundits to be the most severe case of corruption since the founding of the State of Israel. The affair includes the three new submarines acquired by Israel from Thyssenkrupp, but also the ones purchased by Egypt from the same source.
One of the arguments made by all the Blue and White seniors during the recent election campaigns is that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the Egyptian sale to Chancellor Angela Merkel without consulting or updating the heads of Israel’s defense system. Germany does not need Israel’s approval, but because of the special bilateral relations, Berlin did ask Jerusalem’s acceptance. According to former chiefs of staff Moshe Ya’alon, Gabi Ashkenazi, Benny Gantz (and also Yair Lapid), Netanyahu’s lone approval had effectively waived Israel’s veto power regarding the sale of German strategic weapons to Israel’s neighbors. They even argued that his conduct was alarming and on the border of treason for allowing the Egyptian navy to acquire sophisticated, expensive and lethal weapons. They hinted that this was connected to personal interests of Netanyahu’s close friends and family members in Thyssenkrupp.