Invoices confirm the United States funded almost seven tonnes of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) weaponry illegally transported through Irish airspace.
In the past two weeks The Ditch has reported that more than 55 tonnes of Israel-bound munitions were transported through Irish sovereign airspace on six flights from October 2023 to February 2024.
It has now emerged that two of those flights were carrying munitions funded by the United States government, according to invoices obtained by The Ditch.
‘U.S. Government funds are being used by the Government of Israel to finance this purchase’
On 27 November 2023, US-based weapons manufacturer Combined Systems issued two invoices to the “Government of Israel” for their purchase of 25,066 units of CS-containing cartridges.
The Israel Defense Forces use the cartridges, which cause severe irritation to the eyes, against Palestinians in the West Bank.
It was noted on both invoices, “The Contractor (CSI) acknowledges U.S. Government funds are being used by the Government of Israel to finance this purchase”.
The US government gives Israel around $3.8 billion a year in military aid, according to a 2016 memorandum of understanding.
The US-funded tear gas, which weighed more than 6.4 tonnes, was transported to Israel on a 1 February, 2024 Challenge Airlines flight, which flew through Irish sovereign airspace on its way to Tel Aviv. No consent was sought to carry these munitions over Irish airspace, according to taoiseach Simon Harris.
The Ditch reported last week that a third plane had transported Israel-bound munitions through Irish airspace on 2 February, 2024. It can now be revealed that the US had funded the weaponry onboard.
New York-based OG Technologies issued an invoice on 16 November, 2023 to the “GOI (Government of Israel) MOD (Ministry of Defense) Mission to the US” for the purchase of 160,000 impulse cartridges, weighing 553 kilogrammes, for use in IDF fighter jets.
“OG Technolgies Inc. acknowledges U.S. Government funds are being used by the Government of Israel to finance this purchase”, read the invoice for the goods shipped through Irish sovereign airspace on 2 February this year.
The US Embassy in Dublin has been contacted for comment.
