Israel

Israel has participated in all Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons meetings on autonomous weapons systems since 2014, and took part in the 2013 UN Human Rights Council meeting on autonomous weapons systems. Israel argues that there are ‘operational advantages’ to the use of autonomous weapons systems, and has stated that ‘existing IHL provides the applicable framework for regulating the use of weapons systems based on emerging technologies in the area of LAWS.’^[1]Contribution by Israel to the CCW Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS, Considerations on the Operationalization of the Eleven Guiding Principles adopted by the Group of Governmental Experts, … Continue reading

Israel does not support the negotiation of a legally binding instrument on autonomous weapons systems. In August 2021, at the second session of the 2021 meeting of the Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (GGE on LAWS), Israel said that it is ‘Israel’s position that existing IHL suffices in regulating the use of any future weapon system with autonomous capabilities, and that there is no need for a new legally binding instrument.’^[2]Statement by Israel, CCW Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS, 05 August 2021, http://149.202.215.129:8080/s2t/UNOG/LAWS-05-08-2021-PM_mp3_en.html; please note that this link leads to the full … Continue reading This position was further reiterated in December 2021, at the third session of the 2021 GGE on LAWs, with Israel stating that ‘IHL fully applies to lethal autonomous weapons systems and is a sufficient legal framework for any future use of LAWS.’^[3]Statement by Israel, CCW Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS, 02 December 2021, http://149.202.215.129:8080/s2t/UNOG/LAWS3-02-12-2021-AM_mp3_en.html; please note that this link leads to the full … Continue reading At the 77th UN General Assembly First Committee meeting in October 2022, Israel said that it would ‘continue to play an active and constructive role in any future discussions on lethal autonomous weapon systems.'^[4]Statement by Israel, 77th UN General Assembly First Committee meeting, 24 October 2022, https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1s/k1s8hkl4pp; please note that this link leads to the full recording & … Continue reading

Israel is involved in the development, testing and use of weapons systems with autonomous functions.^[5]See, for example, SIPRI (2017), Mapping the development of autonomy in weapon systems, … Continue reading