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Q. Did the Vietnamese boat people in Israel marry along other Vietnamese people or marry Jews and Arabs?A. . 35 years on, where are Israel’s Vietnamese refugees? (Times of Israel)Children of Vietnamese Refugees enlist in the IDF (The Mike Report)Israeli-Vietnamese woman serves in the Israel Defense ForcesVietnam: Israel’s closest ASEAN partner - New MandalaA. TL;DR: From 1977 to 1979, then prime minister Menachem Begin welcomed about 360 Vietnamese boat people fleeing for their lives from the Communist takeover of their country. Israel granted them citizenship, full rights and government-subsidized apartments.There are 150-200 refugees and their descendants still living in Israel. More than half of the original Vietnamese refugees have left Israel, mostly for Europe and North America, where they were reunited with their extended families.The first generation of Vietnamese refugees socialize mostly with each other and their sabra, or native-born, children have Israeli friends and switch back and forth between Vietnamese and Hebrew.The second generation with Vietnamese names are deeply integrated into Israeli society. Most communicate on their walls (facebook) in Hebrew, have a majority of Israeli friends, attended Israeli high schools and appear to have served in the IDF. One works for the police. Of those who are married, many have Israeli spouses.File:Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - Vietnamese refugees at Ben GurionDuki Dror’s Documentory 2005 film (downloaded here) documents heartbreak of immigrant parents watching their children grow up with foreign ideas, habits and aspirations. At the same time, the children feel torn between embracing the new culture and feeling rejected by it, while wanting to reject it in return out of loyalty to their parents.Among second-generation Vietnamese Israelis, there are various coping strategies: some assimilate, some emigrate and a minority express loyalty to their Vietnamese roots by marrying spouses from Vietnam and speaking Vietnamese at home.But when a community is so small, assimilation is almost inevitable.(23 Oct 1979) Vietnamese refugees arrive in Israel and go to new homes in Tel Aviv.35 years on, where are Israel’s Vietnamese refugees? (Times of Israel)Amid Israel's debate over absorbing Syrian refugees, focus turns to the integration of the boat people from Vietnam who arrived in the 1970sBy SIMONA WEINGLASS 20 September 2015, 3:13 pmNewly arrived refugees from Vietnam ride the bus to the Ben Gurion Airport arrivals terminal, June 26, 1977 (Moshe Milner/GPO)As hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers risk their lives to reach Europe, Israeli political and religious leaders have called on the government to take in Syrian refugees. But opponents, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, argue that Israel is too small, or that Israel should not accept migrants from an enemy state.Amid the debate, attention has once again turned to the time in history when Israel did accept refugees from a faraway conflict. From 1977 to 1979, then prime minister Menachem Begin welcomed about 360 Vietnamese boat people fleeing for their lives from the Communist takeover of their country. Israel granted them citizenship, full rights and government-subsidized apartments.How did these refugees fare in the Promised Land? Are they still living in Israel? Can their circumstances shed light on the current debate over refugees?If you Google “Vietnamese refugees Israel,” one of the first names that comes up is that of Vaan Nguyen, a poet and actress in her early 30s who was the subject of a tear-jerking 2005 documentary, “The Journey of Vaan Nguyen,” about the Israeli-born daughter of Vietnamese refugees growing up between two cultures.Newly arrived refugees being greeted at Ben Gurion Airport by fellow Vietnamese already in Israel, January 24, 1979 (Moshe Milner/GPO)Vaan Nguyen says she would be happy to be interviewed when her book of poetry is translated from Hebrew into English but declines an interview on the subject of Vietnamese refugees.“I’ve gotten tons of requests for interviews,” she writes with a note of weariness. “You can look at my list of Facebook friends and write to the Vietnamese ones. Most of them are children of refugees.”Vaan Nguyen in a still from the 2005 film “The Journey of Vaan Nguyen” (Courtesy: Duki Dror)The Times of Israel sent messages to about 15 of Vaan Nguyen’s Facebook friends as well as to an additional five Vietnamese Israelis found from other sources. Only one of these 20 people replied, writing, “Hi! I’m not interested, thanks.”Dr. Sabine Huynh is an accomplished translator and author who fled Vietnam for France as a child in 1976. She has lived in Israel for the last 15 years and although she is not one of the refugees taken in by Israel, she has ties to the community.Sabine Huynh - WikipediaHuynh says she has been contacted by journalists looking to talk about Vietnamese refugees but prefers not to get involved.But Huynh does mention that she wrote a sociological research project about the Vietnamese-Israeli refugees in 2008, one that was never published even though people told her it should be. She also recommends watching Duki Dror’s 2005 film (which can be downloaded here) to better understand the community.Vietnamese sabrasWriting in 2008, Huynh describes the tension between a first generation of Vietnamese refugees who socialize mostly with each other and their sabra, or native-born, children who have Israeli friends and who switch back and forth between Vietnamese and Hebrew.A perusal of some of their Facebook profiles reveals a second generation with Vietnamese names who are deeply integrated into Israeli society. Most communicate on their walls in Hebrew, have a majority of Israeli friends, attended Israeli high schools and appear to have served in the IDF. One works for the police. Of those who are married, many have Israeli spouses.“Using the Vietnamese vernacular is a symbol of adherence to the old established Vietnamese community,” Huynh says. “Showing vernacular loyalty is equivalent to showing community loyalty.”In “The Journey of Vaan Nguyen,” 21-year-old Vaan’s father, Hoi May Nguyen, speaks to her in Vietnamese and she often answers him in Hebrew. On a visit to Vietnam her uncle admonishes her, “You have to nurture your Vietnamese characteristics. Otherwise, you’ll be a foreigner and your kids will be foreign.”File:Flickr - Government Press Office (GPO) - Vietnamese refugees walking to the waiting room at the Ben Gurion Air Terminal January 24, 1979Vaan describes how growing up, when her friends asked if she was fasting on Yom Kippur, she would often say yes, because it was easier.“I was embarrassed by my parents and then I would apologize for them and hate the white, condescending society. I became angry and rude and ended up hating myself, looking for ways to reconcile everyone. I was ungrateful to my family, the state [of Israel], community of any kind,” she says.Her parents, meanwhile, while grateful to have been taken in, are consumed with longing for Vietnam and the idea of returning there. The problem is the Communists confiscated the family’s lands and have no intention of returning them, as becomes clear in the course of the film.“There is nothing for me here,” says Vaan’s mother to Vaan’s younger sister, Hong Wa, in the documentary. “I want to go back and be with your grandmother. I will take you with me. None of my girls learned how to write. You can learn the Vietnamese alphabet so that when your father and I die you can write to the family.”But Hong Wa bursts into tears. I want to stay in Israel, she says.The minority who stayedAccording to a spokesman for the Vietnamese Embassy in Tel Aviv, there are 150-200 refugees and their descendants still living in Israel. Huynh adds that more than half of the original Vietnamese refugees have left Israel, mostly for Europe and North America, where they were reunited with their extended families.Prime minister Menachem Begin greets Vietnamese refugees who were absorbed in Afula, June 26, 1980 (Herman Chanania/GPO)One of the most famous emigres is Dao Wong, who headed Bank Hapoalim’s operations in Singapore and now resides in Switzerland.“I think the main motivation for leaving was to connect to a bigger community in Paris, Los Angeles and San Francisco,” Duki Dror, the film’s director, tells The Times of Israel. “They would like to preserve their cultural continuity and here it’s hard to do.”Of the refugees who stayed in Israel, most live in or near Jaffa and Bat Yam.Sabine Huynh (Vietnamese: Sabine Huynh; born 1972) is a Vietnamese-born French–Israeli writer, poet, translator, and literary critic, who has lived in Israel since 2001.As part of her research, Huynh approached 32 families — over 150 people — with a request to fill out the questionnaire she had designed; only 34 agreed. Eight of 25 second-generation refugees Huynh interviewed said they worked in the food preparation industry, many at Asian-themed restaurants, while others worked in factories and some first-generation women worked as hotel chambermaids.Out of 34 people surveyed (both first- and second-generation), 14 had only primary education, while 13 also had some secondary education and five attended college (three in Israel and two in Vietnam). Sixteen were Buddhist, seven were Catholic, 10 claimed to follow no religion and one had converted to Judaism.In a recent article in Ynet, Vaan Nguyen said she herself is undergoing a Reform conversion to Judaism.Forgotten, yet all too visibleOne scene in Duki Dror’s film shows the kind of attention Vietnamese-Israelis attract even when they are behaving like everyone else. Here, Vaan accompanies her family to the IDF induction center where her 18-year-old sister, Tihu, is about to join the army. Hundreds of tearful parents are sending off their children and the Nguyen family is no exception.“Where are you from? “ the induction soldier asks Tihu.“From Vietnam,” she says in unaccented Hebrew.“You must have made aliyah [immigrated] a long time ago?”“Aliyah? I was born here.”“Are you the first Vietnamese person to join the army?“No, there have been others.”Then Tihu asks sheepishly, “Can I change my name?”Israeli poet Vaan Nguyen has served in the army and feels Israeli - except for her looks. (Sivan Tzadok)Sabine Huynh is all too familiar with the feeling of extra scrutiny in a country where people of East Asian descent comprise a tiny percentage of the population.“People constantly mistake me for a Filipino, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Korean…(sigh).”In the film, Vaan Nguyen describes the ordeal a simple trip to the grocery store could be.“I want to go to the grocery store without people invading my privacy. Stop asking me questions because something about me is suspicious or because you think I’m fascinating,” she declares.“Enough with the interrogations and the expectation that I will politely respond that I was born in Israel, that my parents came as Vietnamese refugees in 1979 when the late Menachem Begin, as a humanitarian gesture, decided to absorb some boat people out of a historical Jewish identification with the conditions of persecution and exile.”She goes on: “No, I am not Jewish. No, I don’t know if I’ll convert or if my children will be circumcised. Yes, I am equally sorry for every human being that died in the last intifada. I don’t deny the Holocaust…I have no idea how to tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean people. No, I don’t think my eyes are slanted because I ate rice every day as a child…No, I am not related to Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan.”“Now will you please just let me live in peace?”In service of Israeli Armed ForcesIn her paper, Huynh writes that the Vietnamese refugee community has mixed feelings about attention from the broader society.“Their existence here was born from an Israeli prime minister’s initiative, but [the community’s] people, after receiving Israeli citizenship, were almost completely forgotten, to the point that they are now constantly mistaken for foreign workers from Asia. Moreover, since they have mixed feelings about that, they do not want any attention drawn to themselves. ‘If they forgot us, then let it be, let us be forgotten for good,’ was a sentence I heard often.”An encounter in a Chinese restaurantDetermined to interview Vietnamese refugees, this reporter discovered a restaurant in Bat Yam that was described on the Internet as “the best Chinese restaurant you’ve never heard of,” owned by a husband-and-wife team of Vietnamese refugees.Bat Yam is as shabby as Tel Aviv is fashionable but the Pek-Hai Chinese restaurant, located near the beach, has retro-1980s decor and a hipster clientele.Asked if he could be interviewed, a 50-ish Vietnamese man smoking outside said, “No, I am just a cook, go inside and talk to the management.”Inside the Peh-Hai Chinese Restaurant (Simona Weinglass/Times of Israel)Inside, a woman who appeared to be his wife, said in fluent Hebrew, “No, my Hebrew is not good enough.”Why do you think people in the Vietnamese community are so reluctant to be interviewed?The woman smiles and shrugs.Is it because you want to be left in peace?The woman nods, a glint of assent in her eye, then looks away. The conversation is over.A peaceful lifeIn Dror’s film, archival footage shows a Jewish Agency teacher lecturing the refugees on their new life in Israel“I ask a question,” he says in Yiddish-inflected English. “What can you do here? If you want to be honest citizens and you want to join us in our peaceful life here, you have to learn maybe new ways of living, new ways of behavior. And try to work honestly wherever it is possible, to enable your families a good, peaceful life.”Vietnamese arrivals at Ben Gurion Airport, January 24, 1979 (Sa’ar Ya’acov/GPO)Working hard and living peacefully is more or less what the refugees did.According to Huynh, the refugees she met worked an average of 10 hours a day, six days a week. Vaan Nguyen describes how her parents spent a lot of time working while she was growing up.“My parents weren’t at home a lot and so what I got from my childhood was Israeliness. As much as they tried to make me Vietnamese, they didn’t succeed. Well, maybe a bit.”There is a thread of sadness that runs through the documentary, the heartbreak of immigrant parents watching their children grow up with foreign ideas, habits and aspirations. At the same time, the children feel torn between embracing the new culture and feeling rejected by it, while wanting to reject it in return out of loyalty to their parents.Vaan Nguyen with her father (Courtesy: Duki Dror)In fact, the State of Israel was founded by people who faced a dilemma similar to Vaan Nguyen’s. Modern Hebrew writers like Micha Yosef Berdichevsky and Yosef Chaim Brenner had left the shtetl but couldn’t feel at home in Israel either.Berdichevsky wrote, “If God [leads a person] to wander far from the city of their birth, the land of their forefathers into exile, they will open their eyes in the new place and look around but in their heart they will always carry the memory of their father and mother for the rest of their life. Whatever happens to them, the air of their homeland will rest in the secret places of their soul, like the light of a new moon..and whoever is not this way, who can easily throw off the majestic feelings of their youth, is not a creature of God.”Duki Dror (via Facebook)Among second-generation Vietnamese Israelis, writes Huynh, there are various coping strategies: some assimilate, some emigrate and a minority express loyalty to their Vietnamese roots by marrying spouses from Vietnam and speaking Vietnamese at home.But when a community is so small, assimilation is almost inevitable. That’s why Begin’s absorption of a mere 360 Vietnamese refugees (out of a total of 2 million worldwide) may or may not be a test case for welcoming future asylum seekers. Assimilation is painful, perhaps not for the host culture, but for the people pressured to give up a way of life passed down for generations.In the meantime, Israel’s tiny Vietnamese minority is not keen on talking to reporters.“I think the Vietnamese community aren’t publicity hounds,” Duki Dror, the film’s director tells the Times of Israel. “They’re low-key. Also, they feel more and more Israeli, so they don’t all of a sudden want to talk about how they are different. Refugees are an issue that is controversial. On the one hand they would probably say, ‘Of course [they should be let in], that’s how millions of Vietnamese were saved and we contribute to society.’ On the other hand they don’t want to take a position against the state or the people who are opposed to bringing Syrian refugees here.”As for the community itself, a handful have given interviews to Hebrew media. Vaan Nguyen herself gave an indication of her feelings in a recent article she wrote in Ynet.“Whenever there is a humanitarian crisis somewhere, I get calls from various media outlets asking to interview me about the refugee experience. I don’t feel like a refugee. I’m the daughter of refugees.”Nevertheless, she writes, “compassion has no race and Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] will only enhance his resume if he absorbs a few hundred refugees who will not change Israel’s demographic balance one iota. My family is not thriving here, but they have hope and a future. It’s all relative: at least we’re alive.Vietnamese Boat People in Israel (Jewish Virtual Library)Vietnamese 'boat people' become Israeli (jpost.com)Children of Vietnamese Refugees enlist in the IDF (The Mike Report)May 6, 2013In the summer of 1977 thousands of leaking, untrustworthy rafts and boats bobbed in the vast open waters of the South China Sea. Each of the frail vessels was crowded with frightened, parched refugees, embracing the likely death of the ocean waters over the certain death of remaining in Vietnam. While some found safe harbor the passengers of one particular leaky fishing boat crossed paths with an Israeli cargo ship and by so doing found a home. The Times of Israel tells the story of that particular group of survivors which you can read at this LINK.The children and grandchildren of these once stateless souls have grown up as Israelis in the Jewish state. They speak Hebrew fluently, are ever grateful for their adopted homeland and even serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Watch the video link below to view the emotional moment when an Israeli-Vietnamese family accompany their children to their enlistment in the IDF.Vietnamese Sabras Join IDFFor Israel’s female soldiers, a delicate balance between equality and military realitiesFrom left to right, Staff Sgt. Maya, Sgt. Noam and Brigadier General (Res.) Gila Klifi-Amir at a Friends of the Israel Defense Forces program April 3 in New York City. Credit: Shiryn Ghermezian.Gender is not the only issue these soldiers grapple with. Sgt. Noam, 19, who was born in Vietnam and adopted as an infant by an IDF soldier’s widow, discussed the challenge of training medical personnel in reserve units and getting the trainees to respect her because of her youth.“Most of the people are 40-years-old or 35, and I’m so young,” she said. “A doctor who has so much experience, how can I tell him what to do? It’s challenging. How can I teach him from the beginning? Because the medical material [learned] in a civilian’s life is not the same as in the army. And some operations done in the civilian world are much harder [to perform in the army].”Her Vietnamese background has attracted some unwanted attention from Israelis. Due to Israel’s relatively low East Asian-born population, she said, people probe her about her family and physical appearance, and wonder how she can speak Hebrew so well.“My favorite question is, ‘What are you?’ So sometimes I just answer that I’m an alien and that you should take me to your leader,” Noam said.Israeli-Vietnamese woman serves in the Israel Defense ForcesIn 1977, an Israeli cargo ship off the coast of Japan spotted a leaking boat crammed with 66 Vietnamese refugees.Despite SOS signals, the refugees, who were out of food and water, had been ignored by passing ships from East Germany, Norway, Japan and Panama.The Israeli ship rescued the refugees and took them to Israel.In keeping with the humanistic culture of Israel, all the refugees were immediately granted Israeli citizenship (as had earlier groups of Vietnamese refugees), Hebrew courses and full absorption benefits.Today, Israelis of Vietnamese descent became the same as anyone else and are in the army.'Miraculous' Vietnamese community of Israel'Vietnam: Israel’s closest ASEAN partner - New MandalaGrowing ties could help narrow Vietnam’s development gap.Israel’s relations with ASEAN countries have not received a great deal of attention. In reality, however, there is an increasing tendency of Israel to benefit from the growing economies of Southeast Asia.Relations between Israel and Vietnam typify this trend. While many countries in the region have been reluctant, or at least careful, in pursuing relationship with the Jewish state, Vietnam enjoys a relatively strong relationship with Israel.Even though contacts between Israel and Vietnam can be traced back to the 1970s, when a large number of Vietnamese migrated to Israel to escape prosecution and torture, formal bilateral cooperation between the two countries was established in mid-1993.Since then, Hanoi and Tel Aviv have witnessed remarkable developments in their relationship with reciprocal visits at various levels and the establishment of diplomatic representative offices.Interestingly, an important part of cooperation between Israel and Vietnam is the military. Even though Israel’s arms overtures to Vietnam have only recently increased, it has a long rooted history of military contacts with Hanoi, particularly with the presence of people of Vietnamese descent serving in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).The most important development in Israeli-Vietnamese military cooperation was the 2012 visit by Israel’s Ministry of Defense general director Udi Shani and representatives from SIBAT Defense Export and Defense Cooperation to see potential prospects in Vietnam.A plan was subsequently made by Israel Weapon Industries Ltd to open a light-arms plant with an investment of over $100 million. The plant helps to manufacture and to supply Israel’s AS advanced version of the Galil infantry rifle.The most recent development took place early this year when the Vietnamese government purchased an air defense missile system to enhance its air defense capacity. What is also remarkable is that Israel’s Air Defense and Air Force Service conducted an English course for its units assigned to receive, manage, and exploit these new weapons and equipment in Hanoi in April this year.Given Vietnam’s large military and obsolete weapons systems, Israel could be expected to play a considerable role in upgrading the country’s defense systems and its technologies. Thus it is not surprising that last year the two countries signed an MoU on defense cooperation and Israel has opened a defense attaché in Vietnam.Economic relations have sharply increased in recent years, especially after the signing of a bilateral economic and trade agreement in 2004. This was further strengthened in 2009 when both governments inked an agreement on double tax avoidance, creating a transparent and healthy legal environment for their businesses to increase transactions.Recent reports suggest that the trade volume between the two countries is expected to be more than $1 billion, with Israeli exports jumping by 120 per cent. Vietnam mainly exports agricultural products, garments, and electronic equipment while it imports fertilizer, machinery, equipment, as well as electronic parts from Israel. There are hundreds of Israeli companies, such as Iscar, that have made their way to Vietnam.In 2011, Israel and Vietnam also signed a $250 million agreement involving financial protocol and maritime development. The deal came on the heel of increasing demand in Vietnam for Israeli products, especially agricultural products and technologies. This economic cooperation is expected to flourish in the coming years as both governments recently agreed on a free-trade agreement.Israel has been a considerable partner in Vietnam’s agricultural and dairy industries. Israeli firm SAE Afikim, for instance, has been running the $500 million project to supply 300 million liters of milk every year, produced by imported cows at 12 state-of-the-art mega dairies and a milk processing plants – all built with Israeli equipment and expertise.It was reported that the project is the largest of its kind in the world and the biggest ever undertaken by an Israeli firm. Additionally, a group of Israeli experts have also conducted courses on agriculture in Vietnam. There are also plans to expand cooperation into the fields of aquaculture and other fishery-related spheres.People-to-people exchanges have also contributed to the strengthening of the relationship. Besides a large number of Vietnamese workers in Israel, there are frequent meetings between politicians, businessmen, and academics.Both countries have also exerted efforts to promote their tourism to each other. To ease air connectivity, Air Vietnam has also opened a representative office in the Jewish state.In more recent years, Israel’s ties with Vietnam have expanded into different realms. Even though not widely reported, education has become an important element in Israel-Vietnam relations. It is reported that there are approximately 2,000 Vietnamese students studying agriculture in Israel. Other exchanges are taking place in the realms of culture, biotech, information technology, and communications.Relations have also been strengthened by humanitarian aid. In 2006 and 2007, for example, a team of 54 doctors and nurses from Israel headed out to nine remote areas of Vietnam to provide desperately needed medical care to Vietnamese.Besides providing medical care as well as distributed foods and clothing, the teams also provided a farm animal to every household in these areas to offer a long-term economic base to the impoverished villagers.Looking forward, Vietnam will continue to be Israel’s closest ally in ASEAN. While the bloc’s majority Muslim countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia face pressures and oppositions from inside, Vietnam does not have a similar challenge.In tandem with the forthcoming ASEAN Economic Community, Vietnam offers Israel not only a gateway to large investment opportunities, but also provides a way to expand to the wider ASEAN region. With no sign to an end to the instability in the Middle East, it is not surprising that Israel sees the growing economies of Southeast Asia as prudent alternatives.Meanwhile from Vietnam’s view, Israel’s growing presence is welcome.Israel’s top-notch renewable and farming technologies are fundamental to realising its agricultural abilities. Tel Aviv could also offer an access to untapped consumer markets and perhaps a hub for expansion in the wider Middle East.Simultaneously, Israel’s ventures are waited as the country is in need of billions of dollars in investment to revamp its economy and bring down unemployment.All in all, this expanding relationship could help minimise the developmental gap between Vietnam and other ASEAN countries.Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat is a PhD scholar at the University of Manchester.

Q. How much did the Israeli military influence the Vietnamese military modernization?Vietnam, an Emerging Partner in Israel’s ‘Asia Pivot’ PolicyThe Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Economic and Trade Department of the Israeli Embassy at Vietnam-Israel business forum in Hanoi, image by Mark Neyman, Israel GPOBESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 468, May 17, 2017EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Israel is increasingly looking for partnerships in economic, political, cultural, and military sectors with countries in Southeast Asia, and relations with Vietnam, in particular, are on the upswing. While cooperation between Israel and Vietnam is largely focused on civilian sectors, defense ties are also growing more robust, with Israel getting involved in upgrading aging Vietnamese weapons systems and collaborating on weapons development. There is a visible bonhomie between the nations, and Israel-Vietnam ties are likely to deepen.Vietnam’s relationship with Israel has been getting steadily stronger over the past few years. In what could be considered an extended, modern-day “peripheral doctrine”, Israel is doing all it can to enhance cooperation with the Asian countries. This can be seen with regard to China, India, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, South Korea, and Japan. Thriving economic and military-security cooperation has become the hallmark of its relations with these countries (though in some cases, political relations have yet to be strengthened).Israel and Vietnam are carefully crafting a potential partnership based on their respective national interests – economic, military, and political.Contemporary Israel’s Vietnam policy resembles the overtures it made during the 1950s and early 1960s towards the Sub-Saharan countries, with which it shared technical expertise in agriculture and healthcare. With the aim of forging friendly, supportive relations, Israel focused on multifaceted initiatives in Africa, including technical assistance, training programs, joint-economic enterprises, trade, and so on. Military cooperation and arms trading were also important elements of Israel’s relations with African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zaire, and Ghana.A similar trend is now being followed with Vietnam. Israeli-Vietnamese relations are expanding in the fields of agriculture, commerce, science, and technology, and – most importantly – in the defense sphere.Israel and Vietnam established diplomatic relations in July 1993, and their economic relationship is relatively healthy. Bilateral trade volume touched US$1.3 billion last year, and the countries aspire to take it to an annual US$2 billion. In 2004, the countries signed the Agreement of Economic and Trade Cooperation for further development of trade. Israel imports cellular phones, electronic components, seafood, coffee, textiles, and footwear from Vietnam, and exports machinery and equipment, hi-tech goods, and fertilizer.In the first quarter of 2017, Israel had 25 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in Vietnam worth over US$46 million. In December 2015, during a visit by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai to Israel, formal discussions were launched on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This raised the prospects for further growth in the investment, finance, services, science and technology, and labor sectors. Cooperation in the health sector is also expanding: the two countries have signed an agreement in which Israel has agreed to assist Vietnam in the construction of a 300-bed hospital with some of its latest technology and equipment.Israel’s agricultural involvement with Vietnam – an area in which Israel has deep expertise over many decades – is significantly on the rise. To augment cooperation, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MASHAV), and embassy in Hanoi have implemented a training program in the country for Vietnamese citizens. In December 2013, Israel’s Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir and Vietnamese officials agreed to establish a joint Research and Development (R&D) program in agriculture to expand businesses in this area. Some of the areas in which Israeli companies can offer assistance to Vietnam are breeding, preservation technology, water use, and models for scientific research.Remarkable progress can already be seen, and Israel has become an important partner for Vietnam’s dairy industries – so much so that it has become an essential component of Vietnam’s “dairy diplomacy”. Israel-developed agricultural technology is now widely used in almost every province in Vietnam.Simultaneously, there is steady growth in openly acknowledged military-security relations between the countries. In addition to trading arms, Israel and Vietnam are engaged in joint ventures in the production of weapons systems suitable to the needs of the Vietnamese armed forces. Israel’s entry into this defense market is timely, as Hanoi is undergoing modernization programs for all three military services. It is increasing defense expenditures, which touched nearly US$4.6 billion in 2015 and are expected to reach US$6.2 billion by 2020. These steps have likely been taken by the Vietnamese government in response to the Chinese military build-up in the South China Sea.Israel has carved a niche in the global arms market by developing and manufacturing some of the most technologically advanced systems for maritime security, air defense, electronic warfare systems, reconnaissance drones, arms and ammunition, short/long-range missiles, and avionics and other subparts. These systems are reasonably priced, and the securing of deals to acquire them is relatively easy as they tend to come with fewer strings attached.Vietnam’s large army is equipped with aging weapons systems, and Israel has the potential to upgrade some of them. Elbit Systems is reported to have secured an upgrading contract for Vietnam’s Mil Mi-17 helicopters. In 2011-12, Israel Weapon Industries established a production facility (at a cost of $100 million) in Vietnam to help supply Galil ACE 31 and 32 assault rifles to the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA). In 2014, the countries worked towards signing agreements to establish a “formal framework” to upgrade their bilateral defense relations, including promotion of future technology transfer and industrial cooperation. In 2015, Israel set up a defense attaché in Vietnam.The frequency of visits by military officials, which has become an annual phenomenon, is another manifestation of the keenness on both sides to intensify defense ties. In January 2017, General Pham Ngoc Minh, Deputy Chief of Staff of the VPA, met Mishel Ben-Baruch, Director of the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s International Defense Cooperation Division (SIBAT), to explore ways to expand military cooperation to include training, education programs, and exchanges. Following a meeting in Hanoi in late February between Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and Israel Military Industries (IMI) chairman Yitzhak Aharonovitch, Vietnam began to consider purchasing Israeli-made Delilah standoff-range air-to-surface missiles (including, for example, the Orbiter-2 Unmanned Aerial System [UAS], manufactured by Aeronautics). Vietnam has also fortified some of the islands in the disputed South China Sea with the EXTRA rocket system acquired from Israel.Between 2010 and 2016, Vietnam imported Spyder, Derby, and Python-5 missiles and ELM2288/ ER and ELM2022 air defense radars from Israel. More trade in such items can be expected, as the lethal arms embargo against Vietnam was lifted by then US president Barack Obama in May 2016. At this stage, immediate competition from other international arms vendors is unlikely, as Israel’s share in Vietnam’s imports is relatively low. Russia, for instance, is accountable for 80% of Hanoi’s recent military purchases. However, this possibility cannot be ruled out, as a Moscow-based military expert has already questioned the capability of Israel-made missiles.Arms exports remain an important instrument of Israel’s foreign policy for both politico-diplomatic and economic reasons. The perpetual nature of the security challenges emanating from its hostile neighbors, and their unrelenting attempts to isolate and castigate Israel politically from the standpoint of regional and international groupings, continue to motivate Israel’s arms sales diplomacy. Israel’s economic and technological assistance and arms transfers to Vietnam can be understood as emanating from this strategy.While Israel’s arms diplomacy helps it to build political relationships, the funds generated by arms exports sustain its R&D programs in military technology, which it needs to maintain its edge over its regional adversaries. This applies to almost all its relations with Southeast Asian countries. Given that the Asia-Pacific countries contributed US$2.6 billion to the Israeli arms business in 2016 out of a total global export of US$6.5 billion, Israel will certainly continue to encourage defense cooperation with Vietnam and other nations as a means of diversifying its revenue sources.The state visit of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to Vietnam in late March 2017 added further impetus to the already flourishing ties. He pushed not only for the existing cooperation to continue but also for Vietnam’s political support, especially in multilateral fora such as the UN. If good relations are to last, this element – in addition to economic and military cooperation – will be very necessary.That said, an atmosphere was created by the Rivlin visit, and more avenues for cooperation have opened in all the sectors. It is now up to the two countries to determine how they can most effectively take advantage of the plethora of opportunities they can offer one other. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “pivoting to Asia” policy is taking shape, and Vietnam is emerging as a crucial partner.Alvite Ningthoujam is a Senior Research Associate at the New Delhi-based think tank Vivekananda International Foundation, where he focuses on Middle Eastern security dynamics, international terrorism, and ISIS. His other research areas include Israel’s arms exports, Indo-Israeli relations, and Israeli-Southeast Asian ties.Vietnam Eyes Israel's Delilah Standoff Missile And F-16s Could Be NextKGYST/WIKICOMMONSChina's militarization of its man-made islands in the South China Sea and the resulting anti-access/area-denial bubbles that will cover massive swaths of that body of water in the not-so-distant future has Vietnam shopping for weaponry that can counter Beijing's grand plans. Hanoi has already forward-deployed Israeli-built GPS-guided Extra multiple launch rocket systems to their own islands in the South China Sea—a weapon system that could rain down rockets on China's outposts with little warning. Now, Vietnam is looking towards Israel once again for its weapons needs, this time to provide a standoff multi-role cruise missile that can strike targets over 150 miles away with pinpoint accuracy.US LIFTS BAN ON ARMS SALES TO VIETNAM AMID TURMOIL IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEAISRAEL RETIRES THE F-16A/B “NETZ” AND PUTS 40 UP FOR SALEAccording to Flightglobal.com, Israel's Delilah missile system was a topic of discussion between Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang and Israel Military Industries chairman Yitzhak Aharonovitch while he was visiting Hanoi.Israel Military Industries Delilah air-launched cruise missile has evolved over the last decade to become a reliable, highly flexible and extremely accurate standoff weapon. Delilah is quite compact when it comes to cruise missiles, weighing in at just over 400 pounds. It can pack different warheads in the 50 to 75-pound weight class and flies to its target at subsonic speeds and at various altitudes. The missile evolved from an air-launched decoy design, having roots going back decades, but its first known operational use was in 2006 against targets in Lebanon. Since then it has been a front-line weapon of choice for the IAF and it would have been heavily used in an Israeli offensive against Iranian nuclear and air defense sites if that operation were to have been launched.IAFDelilah uses inertial navigation with embedded GPS coupled to an autopilot for down-range navigation, and then it can switch to imaging infrared or CCD imaging for terminal guidance. It does this via data link allowing for man-in-the-loop control of the missile for final targeting. What this means is that a weapon system officer in the back of a fighter jet 150 miles away can make fine-tuned adjustments on the missile's point of impact, giving the missile an extreme level of accuracy.For instance, instead of hitting a designated building, a controller can have Delilah fly through an air duct or window on that building. It can also hit moving vehicles and can be used as an anti-ship missile. Israel has long chosen a man-in-the-loop control option for some of their most capable air-to-ground missiles. The much larger AGM-142 Have Nap/Popeye missile, and even the much smaller anti-armor Spike/Tammuz missile use similar control concepts.Delilah can also loiter over a target area, throttling back its turbojet engine to conserve fuel and be retargeted on the fly. It can even be told to "go around" if the target cannot be identified clearly by the operator. Although it is a key feature of the missile's design, this man-in-the-loop control concept is not absolutely necessary. The weapon can also attack fixed targets autonomously using GPS/INS guidance alone. Delilah can also be configured for the suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses role where it loiters over an area for a period of time. Once it detects an enemy radar emitter it homes in on that target and destroys it.Although Delilah is best known as a fighter-launched medium range multi-role missile, because of its small size and relatively lightweight it can also be carried by helicopters and can even be deployed via ground launchers.IMI has been working on more advanced versions of the Delilah for export purposes, ones that could feature more range and warhead choices, and are capable of avoiding or attacking air defenses autonomously. Additionally, automatic target recognition and scene mapping capabilities could take the place of man-in-the-loop targeting for certain missions. Similar abilities are being integrated into the latest Tomahawk cruise missiles as well as Lockheed's promising and very stealthy Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), among others.So what you have here is a single missile that can accomplish what a series of discreet missiles types would be traditionally needed to do so. Which along with its range and size make it perfect for a country that needs a diverse set of standoff missile capabilities but is on a tight budget. As an air-launched system, a Vietnamese fixed-wing aircraft would have to fly just 150 miles from Vietnamese mainland before launching a Delilah missile at a target on China's sprawling Fiery Cross Reef island outpost. A Delilah missile could reach China's strategic Hainan Island without needing an aircraft delivery system at all, instead, it could be shore-launched. As such, you can see how the system is uniquely suited for Vietnam's regional needs, and the fact that it can attack ships too makes it all that more attractive.IAFThere is the issue of what Vietnamese aircraft would put such a missile to use. Their Su-30MK2 Flankers could possibly be adapted to employ the missile, and it would not be the first time Israeli avionics found their way into to Russia's iconic heavy-fighter design. Vietnam's Russian-built helicopters could also be adapted to sport the missile, but it would not be ideal. Beyond their existing fighter platforms, Vietnam may also opt to procure western fighter aircraft, and there are rumblings that this could be underway as part of a larger initiative to turn away from Hanoi's traditional sources of weaponry.Israel may have just the jets to sell them with their new missiles—40 surplus F-16A/Bs "Netz" fighters that are currently up for sale. Israel Aerospace Industries could refurbish these jets indigenously with advanced multi-mode radars, electronic warfare suites, and new cockpit avionics. Additionally, IAI can also apply structural upgrades to the used jets to give them thousands of hours of additional service life. Doing so would give Vietnam a uniquely capable and supportable western fighter aircraft that is tailored to employ the Delilah missile, along with other Israeli-built air-ground and air-to-air munitions—and they would not have to deal with the Washington bureaucracy to obtain them.IAIIf Vietnam were to execute such a strategy, China would not be happy. But considering the changing geopolitical and military realities in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has to do something to further bolster its offensive capabilities. Seeing that a unique Israeli weapon system is already being by Vietnam used to counter-balance China's military expansion in the region, it makes sense that Hanoi would go to the same source to continue doing so, especially if that source can provide big capabilities at a relatively low price. Not just that, but with Vietnam spending increasing defense dollars with Israel for other air combat needs, including ordering high-end SPYDER air defense systems, getting a fighter aircraft that can interoperate intimately with these systems is only logical.One thing is for certain—fielding a couple squadrons of highly upgraded F-16s armed with Delilah missiles would give Vietnam a considerable boost in power projection capabilities, and would be a worthwhile step in countering China's military expansion into the South China Sea.Contact the author: [email protected] tour is proof Israel, Vietnam are brothers in armsIsraeli President Reuven Rivlin’s tour of Vietnam indicates ties between both countries are improving, especially in the area of defense area. The state visit, which ends today, is just the second to Vietnam by an Israeli head of state.In November 2011, former President Shimon Peres became the first Israeli leader to visit Vietnam. The bilateral relationship has progressed rapidly since then, with both nations exchanging high-level visits and extending cooperation across many fields, including trade.According to Vietnamese statistics, the two-way trade between was US$1.3 billion last year, rising from US$68 million in 2005. Trade will increase rapidly in the next few years, with both countries committed to striking a free-trade agreement.The core of the relationship is, and continues to be, cooperation in defense. In March 2015, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh and Israel’s Director General of the Ministry of Defense, Dan Harel, signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation, that strengthened cooperation in areas such defense sales and technology transfer.Earlier this year, Pham Ngoc Minh, the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnamese People’s Army (VPA), received Mishel Ben-Baruch, the Director of the International Defense Cooperation Directorate of Israel’s Ministry of Defense. The meeting ended with a resolution to improve bilateral defense cooperation.One month later, Yitzhak Aharonovitch, chairman of Israel Military Industries Ltd (IMM), a state-owned weapons developer and manufacturer, was in Hanoi.In hosting Aharonovitch, who already visited Vietnam in February 2014 in his role as Minister of Public Security, Vietnam’s President Tran Dai Quang said bilateral cooperation, especially in defense, “has consistently advanced.” Quang, who toured Israel in November last year in his former role as Minister of Public Security, said Israel “has become a big partner of Vietnam in the defense field.”Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, said he hoped that Aharonovitch and his company would continue contributing to advancing cooperation on defense.That Vietnam’s president and a high-ranking VPA official received the head of one of Israel’s leading arms companies indicates Hanoi’s desire to enhance its defense ties with Israel and upgrade its defense capabilities.In an IMI statement, Aharonovitch said he hoped “both countries will work on streamlining the mutual collaboration and high technology knowledge transfer.” He stressed that the “advanced weapons systems developed and manufactured by IMI Systems correspond to the advanced technology used by the Vietnam army.”While the main purpose of President Rivlin’s week-long visit is to foster cooperation in fields such as agriculture, education, health and trade, defense cooperation remains top of the agenda.Like his predecessor six years ago, the 77-year old traveled to Hanoi accompanied by a big defense industries delegation, which reportedly includes MMI Systems, Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Elbit, Israel Aerospace and Rafael are ranked 29, 32 and 43 in the 2016 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute index of the world’s top 100 arms-producing and military service companies.On Monday, Vietnam’s Defense Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich received the leaders of the Israeli defense businesses. A day later, the first Vietnam-Israel defense industry forum was held in Hanoi. Lich, Rivlin and many other officials from both sides attended.Also on Tuesday, Lich, a Politburo member, met with Rivlin and both toured an exhibit of Israeli defense equipment. During the tour, several Israeli companies, whose products were displayed, presented them with developments and advancements in unmanned planes and drones, sophisticated tanks, rocket launchers, and others.While acknowledging that much has been achieved, both the host and the guest underlined the demand for and potential of ongoing, significant deals in defense.According to his spokesperson, Rivlin said to Lich as “you and I were raised in countries which were battlefields, we all know that quiet, security, and peace cannot be taken for granted. The military and security forces have a role, not just in times of war, but also in times of peace.”The message would have been well received not only because of Vietnam’s battles against foreign aggression but also for the country’s need to strengthen the military to safeguard sovereignty and territory.China’s expansive territorial claims and its military build-up in the disputed waters of the South China Sea are now Vietnam’s biggest concern. They are also the key reason why Hanoi is seeking closer defense ties with countries that have advanced military technologies and know-how, such as Israel.Russia and Eastern European states have been Vietnam’s main arms suppliers. That has changed in the past decade with the purchase of Western-made arms. It has, for example, ordered Israel’s surface-to-air Python and Derby (Spyder) missiles. Vietnam has increased its military spending and turned to Israel not only because it is one of the world’s top exporters of military equipment but also because the Middle East military power is willing to share its expertise.In his talks with Vietnam’s Defense Minister, the Israeli President said his country was “a pioneer in that it recognizes the need to establish advance production lines with Israeli know-how in Vietnam, and to produce with Vietnam and in Vietnam.” Lich expressed Vietnam’s appreciation for Israel’s “extensive and excellent cooperation in the field of defense”.That Vietnam places the greatest importance in Rivlin’s visit was evident earlier this week when he was greeted by the president, prime minister and Communist Party secretary general, the three most powerful positions in Vietnam.VIETNAM ISRAEL TRADE DIPLOMACYXuan Loc DoanXuan Loc Doan is a UK-based researcher. He holds a PhD in International Relations and researches and writes on a number of areas. These include Vietnam’s domestic and foreign policy, ASEAN, EU, UK’s politics and international politics in the Asia-Pacific region.Vietnam-Israel Military Ties in the Spotlight with Bilateral Meeting (diplomat.com)Image Credit: Wikimedia CommonsLast week, an Israeli defense delegation paid a visit to Vietnam as part of an ongoing effort to explore further opportunities in the defense realm. The interaction spotlighted the growing defense relationship between the two sides that often remains under the radar relative to some of Hanoi’s other defense partnerships.Though Vietnam and Israel established bilateral ties back in 1993, over the past few years, that has grown to include defense cooperation as well. A series of steps have been taken by both sides, at times quietly, with Israel opening a defense attaché office in Vietnam in 2014, the inking of a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation in 2015, Vietnam’s purchase of Israeli weapons systems, and both sides exploring other areas of cooperation such as technology transfer and defense industry through meetings, fora, symposia, and other interactions. Last year’s visit by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, just the second to Vietnam by an Israeli head of state, touched on defense issues as well.2018 was expected to be an active year for bilateral ties, including the defense realm. Apart from the convergence of interests and continuity in ties, the fact that both countries were commemorating the 25th anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic ties and Israel was commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the state of Israel meant that we were likely to see some developments tied to these occasions. Indeed, the newly appointed Israeli ambassador to Vietnam has been highlighting the quest to boost bilateral ties this year, including in the defense realm.Tavor TAR-21 Fielded By Vietnam Special Forces - The Firearm BlogIWI To Produce Weapons In Vietnam - The Firearm BlogBáo Người đưa tin 24h - Đọc báo tin tức hôm nay mới nhat reports that Israeli Weapons Industry is looking to open a factory in Vietnam to produce weapons for the Far East market. They could invest up to $100 million in the plant. The Vietnamese military has adopted a wide range of Israeli small arms including the Tavor, Negev LMG, Galil SAR rifle and Galil Sniper rifle.As part of this context, the bilateral defense relationship was in the headlines again with an Israeli defense delegation in Vietnam last week. A delegation from the International Defense Cooperation Directorate of the Israeli defense ministry (SIBAT), led by Director Mishel Ben Baruch, was in Hanoi for meetings with Vietnamese personnel and officials.According to Vietnam’s defense ministry, the meeting provided the opportunity for both sides to evaluate the current state of cooperation in areas like education and training as well as defense industry, as well as to expand future collaboration.Unsurprisingly, few specifics were released about exactly what the shape of that future bilateral defense collaboration would look like. The defense ministry said that in a reception held for the delegation, Vietnam’s Deputy Defense Minister Nguyen Chin Vinh had expressed his appreciation for the results of Vietnam-Israel defense cooperation and expressed hope that the visit would further enhance the bilateral relationship.Vietnam, Israel to expand defense cooperation (qdnd.vn)Defense Minister receives Israeli ambassadorHo Chi Minh City wants to cooperate with Israel in various fieldsDefense Minister receives outgoing Israeli AmbassadorAt the reception, General Vinh highly valued the Vietnam-Israel defense cooperation which has achieved positive results over the past time. He also hoped that the visit of the SIBAT delegation to Vietnam would enhance the bilateral relationship.Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh (R) and Director Mishel Ben BaruchThe host also affirmed that Vietnam will create favorable conditions for the Israeli delegation to visit and look for cooperation opportunities in line with Vietnam’s laws.The two countries should also continue exchanging and improving practical cooperation in the fields of education and training, search and rescue, and defense industry, he added.For his part, Mr. Ben Baruch briefed General Vinh on the results of the earlier meeting between the Israeli delegation and the Department of External Relations under the Vietnam Ministry of National Defense. He affirmed that the Israeli side is willing to expand defense cooperation with Vietnam, especially in the previously-mentioned fields.Translated by Minh AnhIsrael’s top arms clients: India, Vietnam, AzerbaijanPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, watch as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flies a kite in Ahmedabad in January. (photo credit: REUTERS/AMIT DAVE)Arms sales do not ensure support in international forums, as the top three markets for Israeli military equipment – India, Vietnam and Azerbaijan – almost always vote against Israel in the United Nations.According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s updated data, India is by far Israel’s largest weapons market, having bought $715 million worth of weaponry in 2017, down slightly from the $767m. it bought in 2016. This represents a whopping 650% increase in arms sales to India over the last decade.Israel is India’s second largest source of arms, lagging far behind Russia, which sold New Delhi $1.9 billion’s worth, but significantly ahead of both France and the US.According to the database, Vietnam is Israel’s second largest customer, having purchased $142m. in arms in 2017, making Israel its second largest arms supplier, after Russia.Azerbaijan – a Muslim country on Iran’s border – is the third largest weapons market for Israel, having bought $137m. worth in 2017, a steep decline, however, from the $248m. it bought in 2016. Israel is Azerbaijan’s largest arms supplier.While India at times abstains on key Israel-related votes in the UN, Vietnam and Azerbaijan can be counted on always to vote against Jerusalem.The institute ranked Israel as the fifth largest arms supplier in the world, with $1.26b. of sales last year, following the US, Russia, France and Germany.The data place Israel in 18th place regarding the import of arms, having spent $528m. on arms last year, fully 97.5% of it imported from the US, and the rest coming from Germany. In the past decade Israel has only imported arms from the US, Germany, Italy and Canada.According to the SIPRI data, in 2017 Israel sold $11m. in arms – Dvora patrol boats – to Myanmar. Israel came under fire last year for arms sales to that regime, accused of carrying out ethnic cleansing. Jerusalem’s sales represented 6.5% of Myanmar’s arms expenditures in 2017, with China and Russia making up the bulk of sales to that country, and Ukraine and the Netherlands selling more to Myanmar than does Israel.Last year was the first year Israel sold arms to Myanmar since 2011.Among other interesting trends culled from the data:• For the second year in a row, Israel sold no military equipment to Turkey, a country that in 2009 bought some $320m. worth of Israeli weapons, making it far and away Israel’s top arms client that year.• The Philippines emerged as a major market for Israel for the first time in 2017, having spent $21m. on radar and antitank systems.• Weapons deals with two Asian countries, Singapore and South Korea, slipped precipitously last year, the SIPRI data said, with South Korea, which bought $52m. in military equipment in 2016, not making any purchases in 2017, and the amount sold to Singapore dropping from $43m. to $2m. last year.• Italy is the fourth largest purchaser of Israeli arms, and the biggest customer in Europe, having spent $87m. in 2017 for Israeli airborne early warning and control systems.• Israel sold $25m. worth of radar systems to Canada last year, the first time Israeli arms have been sold to Canada since 2009.• Cyprus spent $23m. on an offshore patrol vessel for its coast guard to protect the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone and the Aphrodite gas field. The only other time that country has ever bought military equipment from Israel was a million dollar deal in 2002.Vietnam seeks closer defense trade ties with IsraelTEL AVIV, Israel – In a rare public acknowledgment of growing defense trade with Israel, Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang said Israel "has become a big partner of Vietnam" and should work to deepen bilateral ties in research, development and technology transfer.Quang's remarks came at a reception held in Hanoi for Yitzhak Aharonovitch, chairman of Israel's state-owned IMI Systems, where the Vietnamese leader cited "consistently growing" cooperation, "especially in the areas of security and defense."According to an IMI statement released Monday, Aharonovitch, a former minister for public security, said the Israeli company he now chairs has been investing in Vietnam since 1999 and hoped that "mutual collaboration and high technology knowledge transfer" with Vietnam would continue to grow."Aharonovitch stressed that the advanced weapon systems developed and manufactured by IMI Systems correspond to the advanced technology used by the Vietnamese Army," the statement read.Although the press release did not identify specific IMI products that have been sold to Vietnam, sources said the list includes advanced tank rounds, artillery systems and the firm's Extra, a four-meter-long precision artillery rocket designed to carry a range of warheads up to distances of 150 kilometers.According to the IMI statement, Aharonovitch last visited Vietnam in 2014 in his role as Public Security minister. "President Quang praised the contribution of Aharonovitch in expending Vietnamese-Israeli cooperation during his tenure as Minister of Public Security and expressed the hope that Aharonovitch will continue to further promote bilateral relations, especially in training quality personnel in the field of technology."In March 2015, the two countries concluded a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation that codified areas for expanded defense trade, technology transfer, and licensed production.The IMI Chairman's visit to Vietnam comes on the heels of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's week-long visit to Singapore and Australia; a trip that the Israeli leader defined as an "Asia pivot" aimed at strengthening regional ties among a spectrum of industries, including aerospace and defense.Deputy PM’s visit beefs up Vietnam-Israel cooperationWhy does Israel work with Vietnam in military? (Quora)

Hexa Rooms - 10 Top Famous Ganpati Mandals in Mumbai to visit – 2019There is no denying the fact Maharashtra is an extraordinary state. Its cities specially Mumbai, comes alive during the 10-day long Ganesh puja celebrations.HistoryThe origin of Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai is traced back to Shivaji, the Maratha ruler. It was he who initiated the festival to instil nationalistic feelings and promote cultural harmony in his subjects. Since 1882, the festival got a fresh breath when Bal Gangadhar Tilak revived it as a perfect platform to spread the message of freedom struggle and thus resisted the British who had banned all public assemblies.Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, the Hindu god who is believed to be powerful enough to eliminate all obstacles. his is one of the festivals which Mumbaites celebrate with great zeal and enthusiasm. Lord Ganesh is regarded as the patron saint of Maharashtra and over 6000 idols are commissioned in Mumbai every year. This alone is enough to explain the spirit of Mumbai in celebrating the festival.The 10-day festival, which begins with welcoming Lord Ganesha into homes and ultimately, bidding him goodbye by submerging him in water will be celebrated from September 2-12 this year. While Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on September 2, which is a Monday, Visarjan will be held on September 12.On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, we bring you 10 Ganesh pandals in Mumbai that are a must visit and how to reach there.1. Lalbaugcha RajaNo wonder Lalbaughcha Raja tops the list when we say popular pandals in Mumbai. This year, the pandal will have a plastic crushing machine to spread awareness about the plastic ban. The pandal has donated Rs 25 lakh to the Chief Minister’s relief fund in order to help flood victims. According to reports, this year, Lalbaughcha Raja will have ‘Chandrayaan 2’ as the theme. Every year the pandal draws over 1.5 million devotees a day. The idol is believed to fulfill wishes. To get a glimpse of the favourite god there are two lines – a general line and the other ‘navas’ line. The navas line is for those devotees who wish to worship idol right near the idol’s feet, while the general line is a few meters away from the idol.Devotees began arriving at Lalbaugcha Raja pandal here seeking blessings of Lord Ganesh as the 10-day long festivities kicked off on Monday.The approximately 20-feet high Ganapati idol at Lalbaug has been crafted in a traditional manner and is installed in a beautiful pandal decorated on the theme of ISRO's ambitious Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft which was launched in July. Earlier today, a special 'Kakad-aarti' was performed at the Siddhivinayak temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh.Hundreds of people participated in the special 'aarti' held early in the morning at the famed temple.Address: Lalbaug market, GD Ambedkar Road, Lalbaug2. Ganesh Galli cha RajaThe Ganesh Galli Cha Raja is one of the oldest and one of the most renowned Ganpati pandals in Mumbai. Also called as the Mumbai Cha Raja, the Ganesh Galli Cha Raja was founded way back in 1928. This year the Ganesh Galli Cha Raja pandal will be celebrating its 92nd Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The pandal is few lanes away from the popular Lalbaug cha Raja. The pandal is known for its unique themes, often a replica of popular temples in India. In 2019, according to ANI, this year the pandal has decided to create an Ayodhya Nagari and build a 'Ram Temple'. The decorations and lightings are estimated to cost Rs 35 lakh.Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Mumbaikars got a glimpse of the first look of Khetwadi Cha Raja and Chinchpoklicha Chintamani as the Ganesh idols were taken to their respective pandals in Mumbai. Thousands of devotees had gathered outside the workshop in Lalbaug in order to get the first look of the famous Ganpati idols of Mumbai.How to reach: If you coming from Central Railway alight at Chinchpokli or Curry Road stations. If you prefer Western Railway alight at Lower Parel. Walking distance of 10 to 15 minutes from any mentioned railway stations. The pandal is close to Lalbaug cha Raja’s pandal.3. Tejukaya cha RajaTejukaya Cha Raja is a popular Ganesh pandal in Lalbaug in Mumbai. It is believed that the pandal derives its name from 'Tejukaya' a popular personality from the British era who was known as 'Rao Bahadur Seth Shri Tejukaya J.P' and was a civil contractor by profession. The Ganesh Mandal, the organisers of Tejukaya cha Raja, also won the Mumbaicha Raja award in 2012.Tejukaya Mansion Ganeshotsav Mandal is one of the biggest and most famous Ganesh mandal from Lalbaug. Tejukaya Cha Raja is also one of the popular Ganesh pandals that you must definitely visit.Address: Tejukaya Building, Ganesh Lane, Ganesh Gully, Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra4. GSB Ganpati, MatungaGoud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) Seva Mandal, King Circle, which is considered to be the city's one of the wealthiest Ganpati pandals has taken an insurance cover of Rs 266.65 crore this year.In 2017 and 2018 the mandal had an insurance cover of Rs 264.25 crore and 265 crore respectively.The mandal has even taken care of its devotees as every visitor will have total coverage of Rs 20 crore.GSB – Goud Saraswat Brahmin is one of the richest pandals in the city. They host this festival like nobody else, the Ganpati is loaded with gold ornaments and the decor adds more beauty to the idol. It is Matunga’s pride and the highlight of this pandal here are the dance and musical performances, dramas and mime acts performed on the stage. The celebrations here have a touch of Karnataka as the community was founded there. Come here to experience the most authentic way of celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. Unlike other pandals, GSB’s Ganpati stays only for a period of 5 days. The closest station to the pandal is Matunga and once you reach the station you can take a cab till there.Address: 65, 11, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Rd, Matunga, Mumbai, Maharashtra 4000195. Chinatmani, ChinchpokliThe Chintamani rubs shoulders with some stalwarts — the Lalbaugcha Raja and Mumbaicha Raja, for instance — but has its fair share of fans. “The arrival of the idol on Sunday saw lakhs of devotees who came from far-off places. We did not even advertise its arrival,” says Umesh Nagi, president of the committee. “Faith draws people to this idol. It is called Chintamani, which means that it takes away all worries. We have never tried to advertise or market it that way. But people have experienced the change in their lives and believe in him. That is why Chinchpoklicha Chintamani enjoys the support it does.”The celebrations are in full swing. Every year when the Ganesh idol comes into the pandal for the first time, there is a whole different level of energy. People from everywhere come to the streets to take a look at the murti, they dance to the beats and it is one of the best feelings. So many people rejoice the welcome of their beloved Bappa. This is one of the best Ganesh pandals in Mumbai and you must not miss out on this. You can reach here by getting down at Byculla, Dadar, Parel or Chinchpokli station and take a cab or bus from there.Address: Chinchpokli, Mumbai, Maharashtra 4000126. Khetwadi Cha Raja, Grant RoadWhile last year, the 8th Lane Mandal at Khetwadi had installed a replica of Baji Rao from the movie Bajirao Mastani, this year they preferred to Lord Hanuman theme. Khetwadi residents welcomed their 32-ft Ganesh idol which looked like a life-size effigy of Lord Hanuman, in their bylane late on Thursday night. The attractive idol is almost the size of a three storey building. Small bylanes were not an obstruction for the idol to be transported, but the long cable wires from one building to another posed transport threat for the procession.Grant Road’s Khetwadi Cha Raja is seated on two bulls this year and I’m mesmerised just looking at this massive structure. This is South Mumbai’s most celebrated Ganesha and as you can see in the video below, it attracts a lot of devotees. This is a must-visit Ganesh pandal in Mumbai. You can get down at grant road railway station to reach the pandal.Address: Grant Road Khetwadi Back Road &, 12th lane Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, 17, Cambhay House, Shop No. 8, 12th Khetwadi Lane, Mumbai, Maharashtra 4000047. Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samiti, AndheriA hub for celebrity-spotting during Ganesh Chaturthi, the pandal is themed on the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga of Ujjain this year. “Our team visited the temple and took special permissions to click pictures to replicate the temple. The trustees of Ujjain temple will also visit the pandal,” said mandal spokesperson Uday Salian. The idol of this mandal is trademarked. The puja was started by workers of Golden Tobacco Company, Tata Special Steel and Excel Industries Ltd in 1975, when they pledged that if the long strike of the companies end, they would keep the idol for 16 days. Clothes above knee-length are not allowed at this pandal.Address- Veera Desai Road, Azad Nagar, Mumbai, Maharashtra 4000538. Fort Vibhag Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal Circle, FortA place set in 4700 sq feet of area has been created by art director Anant Savant and his team of 25 people from Rajasthan, who design the pandal for Pune’s Dagdusheth Ganpati as well. The pandal at Fort is known for its grand decoration. In the previous years, they have created a replica of a Rajasthani palace and a 40-feet large elephant gate, among others.The mandal has also been promoting social causes and have earlier donated an endoscopy machine at a hospital. This year, they intend to donate a dialysis machine after the festivities.Address - Mint Rd, Opp. GPO, Ballard Estate, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 4000019. Keshavji Naik Chawl Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, GirgaunThe chawl is where Ganpati festivities in the city began, and the organisers believe that they need to continue the celebrations in a traditional way. This mandal was also visited by Lokmanya Tilak. They murti at this mandal is made of shadu clay and the organisers opt for minimal decorations. Their pandal will be given a look of the temple.Two years back, when the mandal completed 125 years, they had a grand celebration; otherwise the celebrations are usually low-key. However, this year, the mandal saved some money of the decoration to donate a computer, water purifier and stationary to flood affected people in Maharashtra.Address - Nikadwari Ln, Kotachi Wadi, Ambewadi, Girgaon, Mumbai, Maharashtra 40000410. Khetwadi’s Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav MandalBetter known as Khetwadicharaja, the pandal has won many awards for best mandal and best idol. This idol, which is 15-feet high, is usually adorned with gold jewellery. This year, the organisers have tried a different kind of crown, instead of a diamond crown.This year, the mandal has built a replica of Rajasthani palace.Address- Grant Road Khetwadi Back Road &, 12th lane Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, 17, Cambhay House, Shop No. 8, 12th Khetwadi Lane, Khetwadi, Grant Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400004Ganesh Chaturthi or puja is a time of enjoyment and merriment for the people of Mumbai. People take break from their busy lives to immerse themselves in the celebrations of the puja.