Israel illegally resold U.S. arms for 9 years, report says

The State Department received at least seven 'summary reports' on Israel's global arms trade.

Washington Post News Service

WASHINGTON -- The State Department's inspector general charged in a report issued Wednesday that Israel engaged in a "systematic and growing pattern" of reselling sensitive U.S. technology to other countries in violation of U.S. law and attempted to conceal the exports.

The inspector general, Sherman Funk, also reported that the State Department's Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs failed to notify Congress or senior department officials although there was "significant" evidence of violations. Funk said the practice began in about 1983 and was only curbed after his investigation began.

Funk said the U.S. government had received at least seven "summary reports" on Israel's global arms trade that should have triggered notices to Congress of possible violation of U.S. law. Funk said the reports were based on "reliable" intelligence.

Funk said he recommended disciplinary action against "the responsible official," Assistant Secretary for Politico Military Affairs Richard Clarke. Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger rejected the recommendation, however. Officials have said previously that Clarke is being transferred.

Clarke, in a memo published along with the report, vigorously disputed the charges that he failed to take action on violations by Israel. Clarke said many of the intelligence reports of violations by Israel were "specious on their face" and other reports were investigated "without smoking guns ever being shown to us."

Clarke also claimed there was no system in place to share reliable intelligence with him on possible violations. But Funk responded that the "relevant intelligence information" is provided "on a daily basis" to the top officials in the politico-military bureau and Clarke was the "only" official cleared to receive some categories of information.

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