Germany Reportedly to Approve $1.5 Billion Submarine Deal with Israel

Pictured Above: An Israeli submarine. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

(JNS.org) The German government will reportedly approve the sale of three submarines to Israel from the manufacturer ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), following previous reports that it had suspended the $1.5 billion deal amid ongoing criminal investigations.

Reports state German and Israeli officials are in the midst of finalizing the submarines’ acquisition, under the purported German-imposed condition that no officials involved in the sale be found guilty of corruption.

Israeli Ambassador to Germany Yakov Hadas-Handelsman was originally scheduled to sign the submarine agreement in mid-July, but Germany postponed the deal due to the launch of the Israel Police’s corruption probe into the sale. The investigation is known as “Case 3,000.”

The fact that Netanyahu’s personal attorney, David Shomron, represents the German manufacturer TKMS in Israel sparked the investigation, which saw a former IDF general detained for questioning with several other suspects amid allegations of bribery and money laundering.