Washington is asking Israel to explain why its
agriculture minister gave a drone to Russia’s prime minister that
may contain sensitive US technology and information – and
apparently wasn’t his to give away in the first place.
It must have seemed like a kind gesture from Israeli Agriculture
Minister Uri Ariel at the time, as he offered Prime Minister Dmitry
Medvedev a drone in which the Russian leader had expressed
interest. After all, footage broadcast on Israeli television showed
Medvedev with a wide-eyed grin as he piloted the unmanned aerial
vehicle during a visit to Israeli’s Volcani research institute last
week.
However, that gesture of goodwill has since been questioned by
Washington, as the drone may have contained confidential US
technology, Haaretz reported. Such technology is typically used by
Israel under license and cannot be transferred to a third party
without permission.
In addition, Russia is under US sanctions due to its alleged
role in the Ukraine crisis, and is therefore banned from receiving
advanced civilian technology that could have dual military and
civilian use.
The Israeli defense ministry is expected to provide a full
response to the US embassy in coming days.
Israeli media have reported that the drone’s camera was removed
and the remote control – worth $13,000 – was never given to
Medvedev. Reports suggest officers of the Volcani institute had
refused to hand over the remote because it was their only one and
the organization could not continue its activities without it.
Nonetheless, some US technology could still be present on the
drone.
The research institute has reportedly refused Moscow’s request
for the remote control.
Even if the camera had been removed before the handover, Ariel
likely isn’t off the hook for his act of generosity, as the $51,900
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was the only drone of its kind in
Israel.
Additionally, the drone belonged to the Volcani Institute – not
the agriculture ministry – so it wasn’t Ariel’s to give, according
to Haaretz. If that wasn’t enough to land Ariel in hot water, the
drone’s value exceeds the amount that Israeli officials are allowed
to spend on official presents by a factor of more than 60.
Furthermore, even if Russia wasn’t under sanction, equipment
that is considered “dual use” must be approved for export in
advance by the defense ministry – and the ministry says the “move
was never coordinated with us.”
The economy ministry also would have had to coordinate with the
defense ministry’s export control department.
However, Ariel has insisted that he didn’t give Medvedev the
drone without going through the proper channels, noting in a
statement that it had been approved by the “relevant professional
officials.”
The statement went on to say that the ministry will soon
purchase a new drone to replace it. However, many have been quick
to note that the purchase will come at the expense of taxpayers,
and the Movement for Quality Government in Israel has called for
Ariel to pay for the drone out of his own pocket.
Medvedev was touring the institute as part of a three-day visit
to Israel to sign an agreement to help the Russian dairy industry
with training, technology, and services provided by Israeli
companies and the Volcani Institute – a deal worth as much as $15
billion.