The United Nations is using Israeli equipment, including an observation balloon and unmanned aerial vehicles, to protect its peacekeepers in Africa -- despite the international body's long history of hostility and hypocrisy toward the Jewish state, Within the framework of its security cooperation with the U.N., Israel last year supplied the organization with sophisticated observation equipment, which is currently helping peacekeepers stationed in the Central African Republic. Over the past year, the U.N. has carried out a secret pilot program aided by the Defense Ministry's Defense Export Controls Agency. The equipment it has provided is being used by peacekeepers to guard outposts, carry out operations and gather intelligence. U.N. officials and Israeli diplomats would like this cooperation to become more permanent and expand it to many other countries where U.N. peacekeepers are stationed. Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said, "Israel stands at the forefront of security innovation and technological advancement. We are happy that [officials in the U.N.] have understood the Israeli advantage, and we are working to broaden this cooperation."
