The Israeli genocidal assault on Gaza exposed the stark and calculated approach of its military operations, specifically targeting civilian infrastructures. Insights from former Israeli intelligence officials, reported by the liberal Israeli publications +972 Magazine and Local Call, highlighted a strategic intent to terrorize civilians through the targeted bombing of essential civilian facilities. A strategy, as one ex-intelligence officer put it, turned into a "mass assassination factory," focusing on residential areas, schools, banks, and government buildings, all deemed "power targets." The reports shed light on the sophisticated employment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in warfare, particularly through Project Habsora "The Gospel".[1] This technology, by analyzing surveillance data, automates the generation of target lists, contributing to the high civilian death toll in Gaza. This tactic represents a landmark in the application of AI in military operations, with Gaza becoming an unprecedented site for such AI-driven campaigns, especially following the first AI-led attack in 2021.
This genocide sheds light on the entanglement of Israeli nationalistic militarism, the US complicity, the testing of lethal weapons, and geopolitical pursuits, all converging towards the objectives of sustained war, colonial expansion, and the systematic eradication of Palestinians. In particular, it reveals the extent to which Israel’s very existence and function, as a settler-colonial formation, is organically tied to an expansive military-industrial complex that fundamentally shaped its society and culture, the economy, foreign policy relations, and external support.
Israel's establishment in 1948 set the stage for the development of an expansive military-industrial complex, intricately woven into its economic, societal, and political frameworks, extending beyond the traditional scope of defense operations. This complex system, incorporates a wide array of capabilities, including advanced arms manufacturing, dual-use technology development, private security innovations, strategic capital investments, and elaborate export-import strategies. Furthermore, it offers vast employment opportunities across the public and private sectors.
A diverse set of actors drives this militarized matrix, broadening its impact beyond the confines of military and security domains to encompass various financial stakeholders. These include investors, contractors, and technology firms, Jewish capital, especially those originating from the American military domain and finances. The influence of Israel's military-economic initiatives also permeates non-military sectors, establishing collaborative engagements with academic institutions, healthcare organizations, labor unions, and scientific research communities.
This melding of militaristic objectives with civilian life has fostered a seamless integration of military and economic interests across the Israeli society. The result is a vast, interconnected network where the agendas of military-economic entities are deeply embedded within the Zionist ethos, influencing a wide spectrum of societal and policy-making processes.
This paper highlights four fundamental pillars that fuel the expansion of Israel’s military-industrial complex:
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Hyper nationalistic militarism
Israel's foundational ethos is deeply entwined with militarism and nationalism, creating a distinct militarized pact between the state and its citizens. This bond is notably more pronounced than in other nations emerging post-World War II, with the Israeli military occupying a central role not only in security realms but extending its influence into economic, social, and cultural spheres. This blurring of lines between military and civilian sectors challenges the conventional civil-military theoretical expectations of distinct separations in roles and identities.
In Israel, the military is not just a defense entity but acts as a pivotal institution for social integration and engagement, influencing a wide range of societal aspects including education, judiciary processes, media, economic initiatives, and the assimilation of Jewish immigrants. As described by Baruch Kimmerling, the military is the "central organizing principle" that weaves through the societal fabric, molding collective identities and values.[2] This pervasive militarism is not merely a transient phase but a deeply ingrained belief among the majority of Israeli Jews, signifying militarism as a fundamental ideology.[3] It is no surprise that Israel is the world's most militarized nations.[4]
In Israel, the intertwining of militarism with education and academia is profound, with educational institutions fostering militaristic norms from an early age. This is evident in the way universities are actively engaged in developing military technologies and nurturing talent destined for the defense sector. Elite programs like Talpiot and Havatzalot exemplify this by equipping students with the skills necessary for roles in military and security-oriented tech enterprises, thus bolstering the nation's war economy.
The Israeli high-tech sector, heavily influenced by military innovation incubators, is a cornerstone of the national economy, contributing 18.1% to the GDP and employing about 14% of the labor force.[5] This sector's growth is significantly propelled by its synergies with the military, through government contracts, cooperative endeavors, and investments attracted by the technologies' dual-use capabilities. Such collaborations have fostered a dynamic high-tech ecosystem, brimming with both burgeoning startups and military and security firms.
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US military patronage
The relationship between the United States and Israel is fundamentally characterized by a patron-client framework, where Israel aligns with the United States' strategic objectives in the Middle East in return for substantial economic, military, and diplomatic support, establishing a reciprocal sub-imperial guardianship.
At the core of this alliance is the financial assistance from the US, which is pivotal to the development of Israel's military capabilities. Between 1949 and 2022, Israel was the beneficiary of more than $158 billion in military aid from the US. This financial support plays a crucial role in Israel's budget allocations, representing 3% of its total state budget, approximately 1% of its GDP, 20% of its defense expenditure, 40% of its army's budget, and the vast majority of its procurement expenses. Notably, this aid tends to surge during periods of conflict, such as during the second intifada and the 2023 conflict in Gaza, highlighting its responsiveness to Israel's security challenges. The aid is mainly delivered through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program and collaborative projects funded by the US Department of Defense. A distinctive feature of US aid to Israel is the allowance for 25-30% of these funds to be utilized for local armaments procurement, diverging from the usual stipulation that obliges recipients to procure American-made military goods exclusively.
A report from Congress underscores the transformational impact of this assistance on the Israeli military, without which Israel’s advanced military arsenal would be unattainable.[6] Underpinning this support is the US's commitment to preserving Israel's Qualitative Military Edge (QME) over regional adversaries, ensuring its continued military preeminence.
The strategic partnership between the US and Israel was initiated upon Israel's establishment in 1948, but it was the geopolitical shifts following the 1967 war that significantly intensified their alliance. Recognizing Israel as a critical bulwark against the rise of pan-Arabism and Soviet influence, the Nixon administration ramped up US support, evidenced by the dramatic increase in military aid from $360 million in 1968 to about $2.2 billion by 1973, marking an 800% rise on the threshold of the Arab Israeli war.
The relationship was further solidified under the Reagan administration, which designated Israel as a "major non-NATO ally," a move that bolstered military and technological cooperation between the two nations. This era was characterized by notable US investments in Israel's defense capabilities through collaborative research and development efforts, leading to Israel's integration into and dependency on US military technology. This dependency is highlighted by significant defense projects such as the Arrow missile system, the Lavi jet, the Merkava tank, and the Iron Dome system, which either included American components or were developed jointly with substantial American financial input.
In 2016, the Obama administration elevated US military assistance to a new level through an agreement that increased the annual aid package to Israel from $3.1 billion to $3.8 billion for the years 2019-2028, amounting to $38 billion in total and marking it as the most substantial bilateral military aid commitment in US history. This agreement accounted for more than 20% of Israel's defense budget.
The deep reliance on American military technology has significantly shaped the competitive edge of Israeli defense firms, positioning them primarily as subcontractors in the production of specialized components for US systems. These include advancements in GPS and navigation, training simulations, optical technologies, and cybersecurity measures. This dynamic underscore a relationship wherein US defense contractors largely set the terms of engagement, illustrating Israel's role as a subordinate participant within the expansive US military-industrial complex.
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Palestine as a laboratory
Israel has established itself as a significant developer and distributor of advanced military technologies, leveraging its operational experiences in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria to market its products as "battle-tested." This designation implies that these technologies have been proven effective through actual combat use. However, the underlying reality is that such effectiveness is often demonstrated through the employment of these technologies in highly brutal actions against largely civilian populations.[7]
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, stand as a pivotal element within Israel's war economy, with the country being a dominant force in drone technology, accounting for over 60% of the worldwide drone exports as of 2017.[8]
The advancement and refinement of Israeli drone technology are significantly informed by their operational deployment in Palestinian territories. Drones have become a staple in Israel's military operations, offering persistent surveillance over Gaza. The use of drones in wars against Gaza is brutal and aggressive, leading to a series of targeted assaults, missile strikes, and extrajudicial mass killings. Such operations have resulted in the loss of civilian lives and widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure.
Gaza serves a dual purpose within the framework of Israel's military-industrial complex, transforming acts of colonial aggression into opportunities for both operational testing and commercial showcasing. On one hand, Gaza has emerged as an open-air laboratory for drone warfare, setting the stage for the biopolitical trial of new lethal technologies. This situation casts a dark shadow over the commodification of such technologies, rooted in practices that has nothing to do with “military necessity” but rather an outright cruelty. On the other hand, Gaza provides a real-world backdrop for Israeli defense companies to showcase their technological advancements, effectively turning the besieged strip into marketing platforms for military hardware.[9]
In every Israeli military offensive against Gaza from 2008 to 2023, drones have been central to its strategy. Models such as the Hermes from Elbit Systems and the Heron Eitan from Israeli Aerospace Industries, equipped with advanced features like self-guiding Spike missiles, have been key to these aggressions. Each Gaza offensive has acted as a testing ground and a development platform for these drones, leading to their refinement and commercial sale.
Arms trade as a tool for normalization
Over recent years, Israel has positioned itself as a significant player in the global arms market, with 70%-80% of its military production being directed towards international clients. This aspect of trade is pivotal for Israel, as arms exports constitute about 25% of its total industrial export revenue, showcasing the vital importance of military sales in its economic and trade strategies. During the period from 2014 to 2018, Israel ranked as the 8th largest arms supplier globally, contributing to 3.1% of the worldwide arms trade.[10]
Israeli arms sales have experienced marked growth, especially following the 2020 Abraham Accords, which opened up opportunities within new Arab state markets. This period saw Israeli military exports soaring to unprecedented levels, with revenues hitting $11.3 billion in 2021 and further climbing to $12.5 billion in 2022, a significant portion of which was attributed to sales in Arab countries.[11]
However, the significance of Israel's arms exports extends beyond mere financial gain; they play a crucial role in its strategic international positioning and foreign policy. Termed as "weapon diplomacy," Israel leverages arms sales to achieve two main objectives: to encourage normalization of relations and to bolster alliances.
Firstly, arms exports serve as a strategic avenue for Israel to expand its global diplomatic footprint, particularly with nations that historically refrained from establishing formal diplomatic relations. A recent example of this strategic deployment of military exports is the deepening ties between Israel and certain Gulf Arab states, a relationship that transitioned from secretive interactions to formal alliances under the Abraham Accords. These Accords facilitated an unprecedented level of military and security cooperation, with Israel transferring military and security technologies worth approximately $3 billion to the UAE and Bahrain.[12] This development marks a significant realignment in the Middle Eastern geopolitical landscape, with Israel leveraging its defense capabilities to forge diplomatic connections and extend its influence across the region.
Second, Israel strategically utilizes arms exports to bolster regimes that are either allies or share common strategic interests, especially those facing domestic unrest or external aggression. This approach has historical precedence; during the 1970s and 1980s, Israel was a key supplier of military hardware to military governments in Latin and Central America, providing substantial support to regimes often engaged in repressive practices.[13] Beyond the Americas, Israel's military collaboration extended to contentious regimes such as apartheid-era South Africa, with offers that included the sale of nuclear weapons capabilities. These actions underscore Israel's use of military exports not just as economic transactions but as instruments of geopolitical strategy, supporting regimes that align with its broader security interests, even in cases where such support has contributed to the perpetuation of human rights violations. Through these exports, Israel not only solidifies its existing alliances but also seeks to influence regional and global security dynamics in its favor. In the era following the Cold War, Israel has found its defense exports entangled with various international crises and allegations of facilitating war crimes. Notably, during the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, Israeli defense companies were accused of supplying military gear—including radar systems, vehicles, and firearms—to factions responsible for the mass killings of Tutsis. Similar situations arose in 2013 in Sudan, where Israeli weapons were reportedly in the hands of South Sudanese militias involved in executing civilians and razing villages. The plight of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar during 2016-2017 further exemplifies this trend, with the Myanmar military utilizing Israeli firearms and munitions in their operations. Additionally, Israel's export of military technology extends into the realm of digital surveillance and control, with Israeli-developed cyber-spying tools like Pegasus finding their way to regimes with dubious human rights records. Arab regimes such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have used these technologies to monitor and suppress dissent both within their borders and among expatriate communities.
Conclusion
The genocidal events in Gaza serve as a sobering reminder of the entrenched cycle of violence and oppression intrinsic to Israel's settler-colonial project. This latest onslaught is not an isolated incident, but rather emblematic of a historical continuum dating back to the Nakba of 1948 and perpetuated through ensuing decades of conflict and hostility directed against the Palestinian population. Underpinning this pattern of aggression is the crucial role played by Israel's military-industrial complex, a multifaceted apparatus that not only enables but actively profits from the perpetuation of settler colonialism.
The far-reaching implications of the Israeli military-industrial complex extend far beyond the immediate context of the Palestine. Its destabilizing impacts pose grave threats to the region and the world peace and security, and fundamentally challenge the principles of self-determination and justice enshrined in international law. As such, the international community's response to Israeli settler colonialism and the mechanisms by which it wages oppression and warfare demands urgent, coordinated multilateral action to impose boycott, divestments and sanctions against Israel.
[1] Abraham, Y. (2023). Mass Assassination Factory: Israel's Calculated Bombing of Gaza. +972 Magazine. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
[2] Kimmerling, B. (1993). Patterns of militarism in Israel. European Journal of Sociology/Archives Européennes de Sociologie, 34(2), 196-223.
[3] Bresheeth-Zabner, H. (2020). An Army Like No Other: How the Israel Defense Forces Made a Nation. Verso Books.
[4] Global Militarization Index (2021).
[5] Israel Innovation Authority. (2023). The state of high-tech (Annual report, 2023).
[6] Sharp, J. M. (2020, November 16). U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel. Congressional Research Service.
[7] Loewenstein, A. (2023). The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World. Verso Books.
[8] Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). (2018). Armed Drones in the Middle East: The Proliferation of UAV Technology and Norms in the Region.
[9] Dana, T. (2020). A cruel innovation: Israeli experiments on Gaza’s great march of return. Sociology of Islam, 8(2), 175-198.
[10] Wezeman, Pieter D., Aude Fleurant, Alexandra Kuimova, Nan Tian, and Siemon T. Wezeman (March 2019). Trends in International Arms Transfer, 2018. sipri Fact Sheet.
[11] https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/israel-reports-record-125-bln-defence-exports-24-them-arab-partners-2023-06-13/
[12] https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-signs-3-billion-arms-deals-since-normalization-accords/2632575
[13] Bahbah, Bishara, and Linda Butler (1986). Israel and Latin America: The Military Connection. London: Palgrave Macmillan.