House rejects ministry`s plan to buy UAV from Israel

Surabaya, NU Online
The House of Representatives` Commission I has agreed to reject a Defense Ministry`s plan to buy an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from Israel with funds borrowed from Leumi Plc Bank.

"Two years ago, we reminded the Defense Ministry (Dephan) to discontinue its trade with Israel because we do not have diplomatic relation with that country," House Commission I member Djoko Susilo said on Monday.

But the politician from the National Mandate Party (PAN) said the ministry seemed to persist in its plan to buy the aircraft from Israel, and its plan was now being finalized while the needed funds totaling US$16 million were to be provided by the London branch of an Israeli bank.

"The House`s Commission I has unanimously agreed to reject the defense ministry`s plan, and the PAN faction at the DPR will even reject it bluntly," Djoko Susilo said.

He said the defense ministry could actually buy such an aircraft from another country, and even the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) was able to make the aircraft although it would not be as sophisticated as that from Israel.

"If the ministry wants to buy the UAV, it can buy it from another country such as the
United States. But we do not understand why the ministry insists on buying it from Israel," Djoko Susilo said.

He said the House of Representatives objected to buying the aircraft from Israel because Indonesia had no diplomatic relation with the country.

Making a trade deal with Israel was the same as violating the state`s rules about diplomatic relations with other country, Susilo said.

"Therefore the DPR will not permit the defense ministry to buy the UAV from Israel, and we will also ask the Finance Ministry to stop the plan except if the purchase is diverted to another country," he said. (ant/dar)