Israel Defense Forces is recalling 700 Chinese cars used by senior officers in Israel. Chinese Ambassador: Accusations against Chinese electric vehicles are baseless
According to Israeli media, the country's military is recalling Chinese-made cars previously provided to senior officers due to security concerns.
According to a report from The Times of Israel on November 2, the Israeli Defense Forces have started recalling Chinese-made cars used by 700 senior officers due to security concerns. Previously, Israeli defense officials had warned about potential safety hazards.
According to "Today Israel," the Israeli Defense Forces have begun reclaiming Chinese-made vehicles from officers under direct orders from the Chief of Staff.
This measure is being implemented gradually: In the first phase, vehicles of officers holding confidential positions or those who can access sensitive security information will be reclaimed. By the end of the first quarter of 2026, the measure will cover all officers.
The Israeli Defense Forces estimate that this operation involves approximately 700 vehicles, mostly Chery Tiggo 8 Pro models. These vehicles were previously assigned to officers with large families because they can accommodate seven passengers.
Earlier this year, the Israeli Defense Forces had already banned all Chinese cars from entering military bases.
Israeli officials explained that some Chinese vehicles are equipped with systems such as cameras, microphones, sensors, and connection technologies that can transmit data to external servers, sometimes even without the user's or local importer's control.
A former senior official told The Times of Israel that the issue goes far beyond cameras and microphones: every "smart" car is essentially a computer on wheels, with a closed operating system and wireless connectivity, capable of collecting intelligence near sensitive facilities.
Several months ago, the Chinese ambassador to Israel told The Times of Israel that accusations against Chinese electric vehicles are baseless.
This decision by the Israeli Defense Forces is believed to be influenced by global trends. The United States and the United Kingdom have already banned Chinese vehicles from entering secure-sensitive areas. A senior official familiar with the matter added that this move is also related to the relationship between Israel and Washington.
Today Israel reported that the Israeli Defense Forces' spokesperson office said it does not intend to comment on the matter.
Source: rfi
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847786009135116/
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