Arms Diplomacy and Human Rights: The Case of Israel’s Relations With the Philippines and Myanmar

This article discusses the role of arms diplomacy in Israel’s relations with the Philippines and Myanmar, and the consequences that these ties have had on human rights. The findings show that (1) Israel uses arms exports to promote its Look East policy; and (2) Israel’s security ties with the Philippines and Myanmar trump human rights concerns. The article provides a critical discussion of the security dimension of Israel’s relations with the Philippines and Myanmar, raising questions regarding the use of arms diplomacy to promote bilateral relations with regimes that have poor human rights records.