In a trove of newly declassified documents, it has emerged that the Israeli government supported both sides in the Nigeria-Biafra war from 1967 to 1970.by Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, was based to promote its business and political interests and divert attention from its own activities in Palestine.
A Biafran representative informed Yehoshua Almog, the advisor at the Israeli embassy in Paris who handed him $100,000 in cash, that Israel was overseeing a campaign to explain to the world that what was happening in Biafra was tantamount to “genocide”. President Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Côte d’Ivoire, a strong supporter of Biafra and an ally of Israel, had also pressured the country to assist Biafra with weapons, offering that they could be transferred through his country if not directly.
With £1.5 million in the bag, the Biafrans wanted to buy 2,000 rifles, 500 machine guns, 100 pistols, 1,000 hand grenades as well as ammunition, and requested Israel’s assistance.Bitan said he and his superior, Aryeh Levavi, decided to help by providing contact details for an arms agent in Europe who would be able to sell them both Israeli and non-Israeli weapons.
He, however, warned that if the request was not granted, the vessel would be confiscated by the Nigerian government.Leshem told Nirgad on November 10 that “it is more convenient for us to have them confiscate the ship than to volunteer it. You can tell the commander of the navy that we will accept the confiscation and won’t resist”.
Nirgad maintained Israel’s “unconditional” support for the federal government and reminded Gowon of Israel’s “ongoing assistance” — but Leshem confirmed to Nirgad in a January 18, 1968 telegram that indeed, communications equipment was sent from Israel to Biafra.REPORTS OF WAR CRIMES He described a case in which federal soldiers cut open the abdomen of a woman in her ninth month of pregnancy without killing her, “and took out the living fetus, shot it and then played football with it”.
In a telegram sent to Jerusalem on July 30, 1968, Nirgad expressed indignation at the comparisons made by Biafran leaders between the fate of the Jews and that of the Igbo people. However, it would appear the Israelis had a bond with the Igbo, or Eastern Nigeria, before the January 1966 coup.
Nigeria Latest News, Nigeria Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: GuardianNigeria - 🏆 1. / 94 Read more »
Source: DailyPostNGR - 🏆 11. / 59 Read more »
Source: LeadershipNGA - 🏆 4. / 77 Read more »
Source: LeadershipNGA - 🏆 4. / 77 Read more »
Source: TheNationNews - 🏆 6. / 69 Read more »
Source: MobilePunch - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »