*The Denmark country page refers also to Greenland, that is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and under its military responsibility.[1]The Kingdom of Denmark includes Greenland and the Faroe Islands, which are autonomous with similar political structures and legal rights. They manage most of their domestic affairs, while the central … Continue reading
Introduction:
Denmark and Israel have been maintaining diplomatic and economic relations since 1949. Israel exported to Denmark arms including heavy mortars, Aircraft EO systems and anti-tank missiles. Denmark established an innovation center in Tel Aviv in 2016 and developed close ties around cyber security matters with Israeli companies.
Israel – Denmark Relations
Denmark has an embassy in Israel, and Israel has had an embassy in Copenhagen since 1949. Denmark recognized and established diplomatic relations with Israel on 2 February 1949.[2]Israel Embassy Copenhagen Denmark
In 2002 Israel’s foreign affairs minister Shimon Peres visited Denmark to meet with his counterpart and the prime minister.[3]Glass of beer hurled at Peres in Denmark In 2016, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark’s Prime Minister paid a private tour to Israel, where he met the Israeli Prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. [4]Påskeferie i Israel. Tak til Sara og Benjamin Netanyahu for dejlig middag. In 2018, Israeli President Reuven Rivin visited Denmark.[5]In Denmark, Rivlin pays tribute to rescue of country’s Jews in 1943
Denmark exported $221 million worth of goods to Israel in 2016 and Israel exported to Denmark $63 million worth of goods, including machines and electronics.[6]Denmark says world needs TechPlomacy alongside diplomacy
In 2007 Israel and Denmark signed a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral cooperation in Research & Development.[7]Government Israel : International Agreements Denmark [8]Ministry of Higher Education Denmark : Denmark -Israel
Military Relations
Israel exported to Denmark heavy mortar systems and EO pods for combat aircrafts. Some of the arms were supplied for usage in Afghanistan.[9]Stockholm International Peace Research Institute/
Danish National Police’s National Investigation Centre is the point of contact for foreign liaison officers’ collaboration with Danish authorities. Israel is one of the countries that has liaison officers associated with Denmark.[10]Danish police collaborate with several international organisations.
In 2019, Israeli channel 12 reported that the Israeli secret agency Mossad cooperated with the Danish security forces in the effort to prevent terrorist attacks in Denmark.[11]Mossad helps Denmark bust 20 terrorists – report
In 2021 Denmark procured Spike LR-2 anti-tank missiles from Eurospike (Rafael) for infantry and reconnaissance forces of two Danish combat battalions. In January 2022 the Danish Ministry of Defense announced that Danish soldiers completed training on the Spike systems.[12]Danish Army training with new anti-tank missile dystem SPIKE LR2
In 2019 Danish and Israeli military forces participated in NATO’s “Allied Spirit X” military exercise in Germany.[13]Israeli Forces Participated in NATO’s Allied Spirit X Exercise
In 2020 the Israeli company Windward announced a partnership with Denmark’s Danske Bank and will provide them with AI solutions for maritime trade finance.[14]Windward provides Danish bank with AI solution to optimize maritime trade finance
In 2020 The Israeli company Skylock (by Avnon Group) invested in the Danish company MyDefense.[15]Israelis invest in North Jutland anti-drone technology In 2021 Skylock developed wearable anti-drone systems in cooperation with MyDefense.[16]Skylock upgrades its wearable anti-drone system to cover more frequencies In an Interview in 2022, Skylock’s CEO, Itzik Huber, said that his company has a subsidiary in Denmark that handles business in the Gulf region.[17]hIsraeli Technology Can Help Defend Against Drones in the Gulf In May 2021 MyDefense provided Skylock’s C-UAS softwares to Zambia.[18]Zambia receives Silent Sentinel’s Jaegar C-UAS[19]Israel’s Avnon sells Skylock anti-drone system to Lusaka MyDefence is also confirming on their website to be a reseller of Skylock systems.[20]MyDefense Denmark – Resellers
Cyber Security
Denmark opened an innovation center in Israel in 2016 called “Innovation Center Denmark Tel Aviv”.[21]KNOWLEDGE GENERATES GROWTH IN ISRAEL In 2017 Denmark’s minister of foreign affairs, Anders Samuelsen, visited Israel, met among others the Israeli minister of defense, Avigdor Liberman and members of the Israeli IT industry. He said Israel and Denmark could “inspire” each other in technology development.[22]Denmark says world needs TechPlomacy alongside diplomacy
In 2009 BriefCam and the Danish company Milestone Systems announced an integration partnership.[23]BriefCam® and Milestone Systems Announce Integration Partnership In 2019 Milestone Systems chose BriefCam’s Video Content Analytics Platform as their flagship video management software.[24]BriefCam video analytics platform joins Milestone Marketplace
In December 2019 former head of the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) Cyber Department, Zohar Rozenberg, spoke at the innovation center to “strengthen the Israeli-Denmark Cyber Ecosystem”[25]Elron & RDC Divulge Insights to Danish Innovation Center, Strengthening The Israeli-Denmark Cyber Ecosystem. Cyber security was one of the Center’s main focus areas within 2019 and in November 2020 a Danish-Israeli Cybersecurity Webinar was organized by the center and by the Israeli company Team8 that was founded in 2014 by former leaders of the intelligence unit 8200.[26]Invitation to Danish-Israeli Cyber Security Webinar
In 2020 CitizenLab reported that Denmark’s Army Command (Hærkommandoen) was a client of Circles, an Israeli surveillance firm, that exploits weaknesses in mobile phone systems to spy on calls, texts, and gather the location of phones around the world. Cirlces is affiliated with NSO Group.
In 2021 the National Police of Denmark aqcuried a Forensic Software for Mobile Device from Cellebrite for 2.8m Euro.[27]TED Europa Contract Award Notice – Denmark
Usage of Israeli Arms:
Soltam 120mm – In usage by Royal Danish Army
15 A3MS 120 mm heavy mortar systems – Used by Royal Danish Army on Piranha V.
Litening-4 EO Systems – In use on F-16 aircrafts, Denmark Air Force
Spike LR-2 – in use of reconnaissance and infantry forces of two Danish combat battalions.[28]Danish Army training with new anti-tank missile dystem SPIKE LR2
Forensic Software for Mobile Devices (Cellebrite) – In use by National Police of Denmark.[29]TED Europa Contract Award Notice – Denmark
Human Rights Violations:
Denmark is argued by some to have some of Europe’s “most aggressive anti-immigrant policies.”[30]An Island for ‘Unwanted’ Migrants Is Denmark’s Latest Aggressive Anti-Immigrant Policy In 2017, Denmark announced that it would no longer resettle refugees under the United Nation’s quota system, with the decision to accept refugees being made by the government and not the parliament.[31]Denmark no longer to automatically accept U.N. refugee resettlement quota
In 2021 Denmark passed a law enabling it to process asylum seekers outside Europe. The new law will allow Denmark to move refugees from Danish soil to asylum centres in a partner country for case reviews and possibly their protection in that country.[32]Denmark passes law to relocate asylum seekers outside Europe
In addition, in late 2018 the Danish government announced that the 2019 budget would include funding for a scheme that would see foreign criminals who had completed jail sentences, but could not be deported, to be moved to Lindholm Island. Lindholm Island is located two miles out from the southeast of Denmark and had previously been a laboratory for animals with highly contagious diseases. The policy has been labelled as being “barbaric” and “deeply repulsive.”[33]Denmark plans to isolate ‘unwanted’ migrants on remote island
Arms Trade
In 2019, the Danish government extended the suspension of future exports to Saudi Arabia of weapons, military equipment and dual-use products it had made in 2018 to also cover the United Arab Emirates.[34]Amnesty 2021 Report Denmark
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