Sri Lanka sought Israeli military assistance during the early years of its civil war and even explored financial support for political purposes, according to newly declassified documents reported by The Wire.
The report states that Sri Lanka agreed to the establishment of an Israeli Interests Section in Colombo in 1984, seeking help to address what was described at the time as the “Tamil terrorism problem.”
According to The Wire, Israeli records show that by the mid-1980s, Israel had supplied military equipment to Sri Lanka, including patrol boats, weapons, communications systems, and training for security forces. Israeli instructors were also deployed in the country, sometimes operating under cover as “agricultural advisers.”
The documents further reveal that Israel trained members of the Sri Lankan military and elite police units, including personnel attached to the Special Task Force (STF), despite concerns raised over alleged human rights abuses during the conflict.
In a notable revelation, The Wire reported that then-President Junius Richard Jayewardene had also sought financial assistance from Israeli representatives. According to a diplomatic cable cited in the report, Jayewardene requested $1 million to support his election campaign, indicating that Sri Lanka would benefit from continued Israeli backing if he remained in power.
The documents, however, do not confirm whether such financial assistance was ultimately provided.
The report also highlights that Israeli officials were aware of the worsening human rights situation in Sri Lanka at the time, including allegations of civilian killings, disappearances, and abuses by security forces. Despite this, military cooperation continued.
The Wire noted that Israeli officials themselves had expressed doubts about the effectiveness of a purely military solution to the conflict, even as assistance was expanded.
The revelations are based on files from Israel’s Foreign Ministry that were recently made public through the Israel State Archives. (Newswire)
Read the full report