French arms manufacturer Eurolinks denies any involvement – Technologist

Did the French government authorize the Marseille-based company Eurolinks to sell Israel metal firearm cartridge links (known as “M27 links”) for ammunition that would have been used by the Israeli military in the war in Gaza launched after the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack? That’s what the investigative media outlet Disclose and the local Marseille media site Marsactu reported, alleging that 10,000 such links were shipped from the port of Marseille at the end of October. On Tuesday, March 26, the allegation was denied by French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu, and then by the company itself.

“We do indeed export to Israel, which represents 5% to 7% of our business depending on the year, and we deliver these links to IMI Systems, a subsidiary of the Elbit defense group,” explained Eurolinks CEO Jean-Luc Bonelli. “But these links are in no way used to assemble munitions intended for use by the Israeli armed forces.”

“The French license that has been given [to Eurolinks] does not give the Israeli army the right to use these components,” confirmed Lecornu.

This French authorization requires IMI Systems to re-export these Eurolinks M27 links out of Israel, added Bonelli, pointing out that these components are incidentally not certified for use by Israel’s army. Israel’s defense industrial and technological base has been rapidly expanding for years, and produces more than the country needs. Israel is self-sufficient in terms of ammunition (such as 5.56mm caliber bullets), as well as in terms of the links used to assemble rounds to permit firing in bursts.

‘Strictly defensive’

Lecornu also said that some items (such as machine parts, like ball bearings, nuts, etc.) have been exported from France “for purely defensive systems”; “This is notably the case for small components of the Iron Dome [Israeli air defense system] (…) which is strictly defensive and does not intervene in the Gaza Strip.” Regarding his discussions with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, he continued: “I told him what our doctrine would be.” In other words: Not suspending components for the Iron Dome, which protects Israeli civilians against missile fire from Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement, hostile Arab countries or even Iran; but also not granting any licenses for weapons of war used in the context of operations in Gaza.

This principle was clarified at the end of October, and is due to be reaffirmed in summer, when the 2024 report on arms exports is presented to the French Parliament, said the armed forces minister. France sells very little to Israel, he said: “The overall sum was €15 million in 2022” for orders that were fulfilled, “in other words, 0.2% of the overall volume of French arms exports.” Almost all of Tel Aviv’s arms purchases come from two countries, according to a 2023 report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute: the United States (69%) and Germany (30%).