[Marxism] Report: Israelis fighting guerillas in Colombia

[Eric Johnson <ewjohnson72@xxxxxxxxx>]

Report: Israelis fighting guerillas in Colombia  
  
  Colombian paper quotes local defense minister as confirming ex Israeli 
officers helping government in battle against guerillas, drug lords, while 
guerrilla group FARC claims Israeli commandos also fighting them in jungles   
Beatrice Overlander         Published:   08.10.07, 10:15 / Israel News 
  
  
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Colombia's defense minister confirmed recently that ex Israeli military men 
were helping his government fight guerilla organizations, Colombia weekly 
Semana recently reported.   
   
Meanwhile, Colombian guerilla group FARC stated that Israeli commandos, along 
with American and British forces, were operating in the jungles against drug 
lords and guerilla fighters   
   
While denying this report, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos did admit that a 
group of Israeli advisors was working alongside local defense officials in the 
last year.   
   
According to Semana, "A group of former Israeli military officials is 
counseling the military's top brass on intelligence issues." The paper added 
that the Israelis were hired by the Colombian Defense Ministry in order to 
improve the army's intelligence gathering capabilities and the command and 
control structure within the military.   
   
Defense Minister Santos, said the Semana, was put in touch with the Israelis 
last year by former Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben Ami. Ben Ami's 
spokesman stated that Santos has been referred to the relevant authorities in 
Israel.   
   
The contract between the Israeli advisors and the Colombian Defense Ministry 
was signed in April this year, and sources in the country said that it stood at 
$10 million.   
   
  'Best in the world'  
The Israeli group, reportedly made up of three senior generals, a lower ranking 
officer and three translators, is highly esteemed by the Colombians. "They are 
like psychoanalysts; they ask us the material questions and help us see all the 
problems we weren't aware of before," Deputy Defense Minister Sergio Jaramillo 
told the newspaper. "They are the best in the world," another high ranking 
officer stated.   
   
The paper described the Israeli aides as "mercenaries," but stressed that the 
Israeli government was aware of their actions.   
   
              


In recent years, Israel has become Colombia's number one weapon supplier, with 
the arms mainly used to battle drug lords. These weapons include drones, light 
arms and ammunition, observation and communication systems and even special 
bombs capable of destroying coca fields.   
   
"Israel's methods of fighting terror have been duplicated in Colombia," a 
senior defense official said Thursday, adding that arms export to Colombia has 
increased significantly in recent years, totaling tens of millions of dollars.  
 
   
Itamar Eichner, Arieh Egozy and Ororn Meiri contributed to the report 
       
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