TECHNION EXPOSED: Israel Technology institute’s links with the IDF
The Technion, the Israeli institution most renowned for applied sciences such as engineering and computer science, has all but enlisted itself in the military. This is how it enables and profits from the occupation, oppression and genocide of Palestinians.
D9 remote-controlled bulldozer
- The Technion helped to develop the D9 remote-controlled bulldozer, widely deployed in the destruction of Palestinian homes (1). The Technion spokesperson– Amos Levav stated “this innovative development will make the bulldozer capable of being remotely controlled under fire by a pilot remaining out of reach. Currently, bulldozer drivers face great risks when demolishing buildings where terrorists are hiding or when trying to open roads” (2).
The Israeli army engineering unit has demolished approximately 25,000 Palestinian homes since 1967, according to the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolition (3). On occasion, bulldozers have come under attack from Palestinian guerilla fighters and stone throwing children. The unmanned bulldozer, developed by Technion, allows the Israeli army to demolish homes, olive groves and tunnels without any risk to the physical safety of its soldiers.
- The unmanned D9 participated widely in Operation Cast Lead as well as in the Second Lebanon War in 2006 (4).
The Scream
- Technion has manufactured technologies specifically to torment recalcitrant populations (5). “The Scream” is a ‘non-lethal’ acoustic system that ‘creates sound levels that are unbearable to humans at distances up to 100 meters’, according to the Technion. This crowd-control weapon is mainly used to suppress peaceful demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories (6).
The “Scream” device was first used in the West Bank in June 2005, during a demonstration in Bil’in against the Separation Wall. On that occasion, the Israeli army used an “anti-riot system” called “SHOPHAR- The Scream,” manufactured by the Israeli company Electro-Optics Research & Development (EORD). Until 2008, the company was owned by the Israeli companies RAD Bynet Group and the Technion Research & Development Foundation (TRDF), which is a subsidiary of the Technion — Israel Institute of Technology (5). “The scream” sonic blaster shoots repeated pulses of sound at targets, leaving them dizzy and nauseous (7). It can cause shock that could lead to a heart attack, dread and of course to serious, irreversible hearing damage. “The scream” has also been used by the Israeli Police against Israelis at a demonstration in Tel Aviv in 2020 (8).
Partnership with Elbit Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
- Technion during 2008–2013 had a research partnership with Elbit Systems Ltd., which provides electronic detection devices used in the Israeli Separation Wall in the West Bank, and has also supplied drones to the Israeli army for use in combat in the West Bank and Gaza (9).
- Weapons produced in collaboration with Technion and other Israeli universities are not just used on Palestinians, but are then exported to regimes that are similarly invested in subjugating the poor and marginalized (10).
- In 2008 Technion opened a center for developing electro-optics in partnership with Elbit systems, one of the largest Israeli weapons companies (11).
- Elbit Systems gave half a million dollars to the Technion in research grants (12).
- In 2013 Rafael directly recruited 150 students from the Technion to direct research into future armaments. They students divided their studies between Rafael and the Technion (13).
- Technion organizes twice a year a job fair where companies such as Elbit systems and Rafael can hire students (14).
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems makes a machine gun turret for Israeli tanks, among many other armaments (15). The Merkava IFV Namer, which has taken part in the current (2023–2024) genocidal attack on Gaza, is equipped with a Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) armed with a .50 M2 Browning Heavy Machine Gun. The RCWS is developed by Rafael (16). The RCWS is also deployed by the IDF on the Gaza fence, and enables camera operators located in a rear-located intelligence base to kill Palestinians using the 12.7 mm heavy machine gun and the SPIKE guided missile (17).
Rafael also develops the TROPHY active protective systems for the Merkava tanks (18) that are used in the invasion of Gaza. Additionally, Rafael also develops many missiles, including bunker-buster missiles used in Gaza (19).
High level support at Technion for the IDF
- Prof. Uri Sivan, President of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology said that at Technion “students, administrative personnel, and academic staff rally to aid IDF soldiers” (20). The Technion has provided a series of financial grants (including 6000 NIS) to reserve soldier students who were mobilized by an emergency call-up order for ‘Operation Swords of Iron’ (21).
- Prof. Uri Sivan, President of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology claims that “Hamas uses its citizens as shields for its weapons — which it hides in hospitals, schools, and mosques” (22).
Additional ways in which Technion is accomplice with Israel’s regime of occupation
- Technion researchers developed a method for discovering under- ground tunnels, aimed specifically at aiding the siege on Gaza (23).
- Technion researchers developed unmanned land vehicles for Israeli military use (24).
- The Technion is a sponsor of the Psagot “academic reserve” program (25).
- The Technion reprimanded a student solely because he refused to stand during the national anthem (26).
- Technion is where one finds the highest percentage of student reservists who belong “both to the academic elite and to the military elite” of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) (27).
- Technion organizes courses focused on how to brand and market Israel’s defense industry to global audiences (6).
- Technion students’ academic theses involve weapon research (28).
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References
1. Aneta. Beyond dual use: Israeli universities’ role in the military-security-industrial complex [Internet]. 2021. Available from: https://www.eccpalestine.org/beyond-dual-use-israeli-universities-role-in-the-military-security-industrial-complex/
2. Levav A. “Remote Control” In the Service of the IDF Technion Experts Develop Remote Control For Driverless D-9 Bulldozer and Hummer Jeep [Internet]. 2003. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20031205022309/http://pard.technion.ac.il/archives/presseng/Html/PR_d-9Eng_20_10.Html
3. Blumenthal M. New York to Host Israel’s Top Drone Lab [Internet]. 2011. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20140718041034/english.al-akhbar.com/node/2798
4. Katz Y. Black Thunder; unmanned dozers to play greater role in IDF. 2009 Mar; Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20240101095349/https://www.jpost.com/Israel/Black-Thunder-unmanned-dozers-to-play-greater-role-in-IDF
5. Who Profits Research Center. Proven Effective: Crowd Control Weapons in the Occupied Palestinian Territories [Internet]. 2014. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20140929060324/https://whoprofits.org/sites/default/files/weapons_report-8.pdf
6. Lee S. Top Israeli university marketing country’s arms industry to the world — +972 Magazine [Internet]. 2017. Available from: https://www.972mag.com/top-israeli-university-marketing-countys-arms-industry-to-the-world/
7. Rawnsley A. “THE SCREAM”: Israel blasts protesters with sonic gun. 2011 Sep; Available from: https://archive.ph/bbPJ8
8. Peleg B, Breiner J. Israeli police used sound cannon against anti-overhaul protesters, violating regulations. 2023 Jul; Available from: https://archive.ph/43GNH
9. Robbins B. Review: Against Apartheid: The Case for Boycotting Israeli Universities, edited by Ashley Dawson and Bill V. Mullen. J Palest Stud [Internet]. 2016;45(4):90–1. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1525/jps.2016.45.4.90
10. Khalek R. Israeli drone conference features weapons used to kill Gaza’s children [Internet]. 2014. Available from: https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/rania-khalek/israeli-drone-conference-features-weapons-used-kill-gazas-children
11. Elbit Systems and the Technion established a research center in the field of vision systems. 2008 Jun; Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20110108122020/http://www.hayadan.org.il/elbit-donate-laboratory-to-the-technion-1606085/
12. Elbit Systems will provide research grants to the Technion in the amount of half a million dollars [Internet]. Globes; 2008. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20220123130509/https://www.globes.co.il/serve/globes/printwindow.asp?did=1000351395
13. Azulai Y. Rafael hiring 150 Technion students — Globes. 2013 Jan; Available from: https://archive.ph/ks6fF
14. Dozens of hi-tech companies recruited hundreds of students at a job fair at the Technion [Internet]. 2010. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20240130194505/https://haipo.co.il/en/item/2663
15. Miller P. Israeli colonel who backed illegal settlers invited to London arms fair [Internet]. 2024. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20240201233711/https://www.declassifieduk.org/israeli-colonel-who-backed-illegal-settlers-invited-to-london-arms-fair/
16. SAMSON RCWS 30. Remote Controlled Weapon Station [Internet]. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20150924084513/http://www.rafael.co.il/marketing/SIP_STORAGE/FILES/8/628.pdf
17. Alston P. Lethal Robotic Technologies: the Implications for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law [Internet]. 2012. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20231016084041/http://www6.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/journals/JlLawInfoSci/2012/3.html
18. TROPHY Active Protection System for AFVs [Internet]. Available from: https://archive.ph/bUZ8Y
19. Israeli air force used ‘Rocks’ bunker busters in Gaza to destroy Hamas tunnels [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20240206174907/https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2023/10/10/israeli-air-force-used-rocks-bunker-busters-in-gaza-to-destroy-hamas-tunnels/
20. Sivan U. Statement from the President — Technion — Israel Institute of Technology [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20240129200953/https://www.technion.ac.il/en/2023/10/from-the-president-of-the-technion/
21. The Technion supports reserve soldiers [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://archive.ph/mZhBb
22. Letter of Deep Concern from University Heads in Israel to Colleagues Around the World — Technion — Israel Institute of Technology [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20231102022717/https://www.technion.ac.il/en/2023/11/55591/
23. Technion. Technion researchers have developed a way to locate tunnels using an optical fiber. 2014 Aug; Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20110210112408/http://www.hayadan.org.il/locating-tunnels-with-optic-fiber-0701094/
24. ROEE Light Tele-Operated Robotic Weapon ATV Platform — Defense Update: [Internet]. 2012. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20130209053853/https://defense-update.com/20050127_roee.html
25. PSAGOT Alumni Assoc. [Internet]. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20240128164932/https://www.psagotalumni.com/
26. Raved A. Technion doctoral student censured for sitting through playing of anthem. 2009 Jun; Available from: https://archive.ph/AJaEu
27. Abbes A. Technion, incubator of the student-soldier elite — Aurdip [Internet]. 2015. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204130907/https://aurdip.org/en/technion-incubator-of-the-student/
28. Ph.D and MS.c Theses, since 1988. [Internet]. 2015. Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20151216172018/http://www.graduate.technion.ac.il/theses/Advisors.asp?Key=20270
