Israel has developed a “special relationship” with Rwanda over decades, including arming the Tutsi regime’s genocide of the Hutus in the 1990s, although the politicizes Israeli judiciary has prohibited the release of details about that passage of Israel’s support for that genocide.
During the 1994 genocide, Israel supplied Uzi sub-machine guns, as well as weapons such as grenades captured by the Israeli army from the Egyptian army in 1973 and Chinese ammunition obtained through Tirana.
The UN experts have documented many such examples, including the use of Israeli-made anti-tank guided missiles, as well as cyber weapons, in violation of the UN arms embargo against M23.
M23 rebels in Congo using advanced arms similar to Israeli military: South African former general
Maomela Moreti Motau says rebels are well-resourced, backed by a powerful force. This emerged in case of Israel arms used in the attack and killing on a dozen South Africa peace keepers in Goma.
Israeli-made Emtan MZ-4P assault rifle, IMI Galil and Spike anti-tank guided missile system are used by the M23.
During 2022, Israel exports of arms and ammunition, parts and accessories to Rwanda was worth US$23.92 million, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.
Israel arming both sides, whereas DRC has adopted the large-scale use of Israeli-made MZ-4P and MZ-4P assault rifles for Special Forces since 2023.
In other dimensions of crime such as the commission of the serious crime of population transfer and violation of refugee and asylum seekers’ rights, in 20-23, British judges cited the failure of a secretive and subsequently denied deportation agreement between Israel and Rwanda as part of its decision on Thursday to rule the UK government`s plans to deport asylum seekers to the African country as unlawful.
In December, the high court in London ruled that the plan to send asylum seekers who arrive in the UK on small boats to Rwanda was lawful. But an appeal was lodged by asylum seekers and a rights group, supported by groups including the UN`s refugee agency, UNHCR.
By a majority, the court accepted the appeal on the question of whether Rwanda was a safe third country. Three senior judges, Lord Burnett, Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill, made the ruling on Thursday.
Vos and Underhill found that deficiencies in Rwanda`s asylum system meant that there were substantial grounds to believe that people sent to Rwanda would be returned to their home countries, where they faced persecution and inhumane treatment. Burnett came to the opposite conclusion.
In the 161-page ruling, several references were made to the failings of a similar scheme agreed by Israel and Rwanda in 2013.
Some analysts have concluded that Rwanda has transformed into the “Israel of Africa.”
Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu (L) with President of Rwanda Paul Kagame in Jerusalem on 10 July 2017. Source: France24.
Related:
‘The Israel of Africa’: How Rwanda Became the West’s Proxy in Congo’s Brutal War
The Victims` Pact: Rwanda and Israel
Israel and Rwanda: The Development of a Special Relationship
Part 1: ‘Rwanda Is the Israel of Africa’ (on Instagram)
Part 2: ‘Rwanda Is the Israel of Africa’ (on Instagram)
Yaron Salman, “Light unto the Nations Through Arms Sales: Israel’s Arms Diplomacy Goals, Achievements, and Limitations,”Contemporary Review of the Middle East (2025)
Marc H. Ellis, “Is Rwanda the Israel of Africa?” 24 September 2013
| Themes |
| • Access to natural resources • Armed / ethnic conflict • Destruction of habitat • International • Public policies |
