TheIsrael–South Africa Agreement (ISSA) was a secret defense co-operation agreement signed in 1975 betweenIsrael and the Apartheid government ofSouth Africa.[1] The agreement outlined the two nations’ cooperation on nuclear issues. It was signed by South African Prime MinisterP.W. Botha and Israeli Prime MinisterShimon Peres.[2]
The agreement covered many different areas of defense co-operation at a time when both countries were unable to source weapons and defense technology freely on the international market, primarily because of arms embargoes in place at the time,[3] in South Africa's case due toapartheid.[1] A spokesperson for Peres denied the documents, asserting that there were "never any negotiations" between the two regimes.[4]
At least three meetings related to the treaty were held, referred to in documents asIssa meetings. The first meeting on the 3rd of April 1975 involved the signing of the treaty by then Minister Of Defense Shimon Peres of Israel and President P.W. Botha of South Africa. The treaty stated that,"The very existence of this Agreement as well as any other agreement relating to the activities defined in Clause 2 hereof, including information about the terms or contents of any such agreement, shall be secret and shall not be disclosed by either party, except as hereinafter provided."[5]
The second meeting was held on the 1st of July inside of theBank of Lisbon in South Africa. Articles of discussion included the establishment of aSouth African Navy team in Israel, financial agreements, evaluation of an Israeli tank's Performance bySouth African Defence Force technicians, delivery of 200Continental AV1790 engines, issuing of Diplomatic Passports, as well as South African dealings withIAI andIMI.[6]
The third meeting was held on the 30th of June at the Government Guest House inPretoria. South African interest in acquiringNight-vision technology and an unspecified "New Tank" was discussed, possibly theCenturion.[7] Projects by the codewords "BlueBat" and "Olive" were also discussed.[8]
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