【By Liu Bai, Observer Net】

On November 2, several mainstream Israeli media outlets reported that due to concerns over "information security risks" and dissatisfaction from the United States, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have ordered a complete replacement of Chinese cars used by officers. It is reported that in a recent large-scale official vehicle tender, the Israeli Ministry of Defense also required bidders to exclude Chinese brands, and kept the ban secret to avoid causing dissatisfaction from China and damaging Sino-Israeli economic relations.

The major Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom cited warnings from Israeli officials stating that some smart systems in Chinese-made vehicles "may have functions for monitoring or data leakage," and "could even be used for espionage activities." To prevent potential risks, the Chief of Staff of the IDF has directly ordered the recall of Chinese cars used by officers.

This ban is being implemented in phases: the first phase targets officers holding confidential positions or handling sensitive security information; by the end of the first quarter of 2026, the measure will be expanded to all officers.

The IDF estimates that about 700 cars will be affected, most of which are Chery models. These vehicles, with seven seats, were originally assigned to officers with families.

The report states that this move is part of Israel's further tightening of its policy of restricting Chinese vehicles. Previously, these vehicles had been banned from entering military bases.

A former senior officer said that the issue goes beyond cameras and microphones. Each "smart car" is essentially a "computer on wheels" with a closed operating system and wireless connectivity, capable of collecting intelligence near sensitive facilities.

Israel Hayom believes that the IDF's decision was clearly influenced by the United States and the United Kingdom, both of which have already banned Chinese cars in so-called sensitive areas. A senior official familiar with the matter also stated that this move is related to the relationship between Israel and the United States, as the current economic rivalry between China and the US continues to intensify.

Earlier, Chinese Ambassador to Israel Xiao Junzheng told Israel Hayom that the accusations against Chinese electric vehicles are baseless.

March 23, a car parked outside an IDF facility in Samaria, Israel JNS news website

Another major newspaper, Israel's Haaretz, also paid attention to this issue.

The report said that the IDF plans to replace Chinese cars used by officers with Japanese Mitsubishi, involving about 600 Chinese Chery Tiggo 8s, which had been used as officers' cars. This replacement will be completed in the coming months after the standard three-year lease period ends.

It is reported that the IDF has "purified" the multimedia systems of Chinese cars, making them unable to transmit information outward, but the IDF still worries that it cannot guarantee these vehicles will not collect data.

In recent months, the IDF has been developing new information security guidelines, prohibiting Chinese cars from parking near "sensitive facilities." Currently, Chinese cars have been banned from entering several bases, including the Gideon Base in Tzrifin.

Israeli military sources previously stated, "There is no evidence that Chinese cars are actively collecting data." The main concern is not routine data collection, but hackers potentially hacking into individual vehicles to use onboard microphones and cameras for "espionage activities."

Additionally, in the IDF's latest large-scale official vehicle leasing tender, Chinese car models were excluded, with about 10,000 cars to be used by officers and non-commissioned officers. The military has instead opted for Czech Skoda, South Korean Kia, and German Opel brands.

The report frankly admits that this shift comes at a cost in terms of fuel consumption and air pollution, as the selected vehicles in the tender are all gasoline-powered, not hybrid or electric.

According to news from Israel's mainstream portal Walla, due to concerns that this move might provoke retaliation from China and damage Sino-Israeli economic relations, the Israeli side secretly informed the leasing companies participating in the tender to exclude Chinese brands, and required them to keep the ban confidential.

However, even after phasing out Chery cars, the IDF will continue to use some Chinese vehicles at one of its most sensitive facilities, the Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Currently, the base's security department is still using Chinese-made MG electric vehicles.

The Israeli military refused to comment on the above reports.

Israel, with its relatively small territory and high population density, is considered to have considerable potential in promoting electric vehicles, which could have provided a win-win cooperation opportunity for China and Israel in the field of green transportation.

The relevant reports reveal that such actions deviate from the principle of fair market competition and may delay Israel's own green transition process, which is regrettable.

In recent years, as Chinese electric vehicles have rapidly developed, they have repeatedly faced stigmatization and discriminatory policies from certain forces in the US and Western countries.

For example, the Biden administration has continuously promoted the ban on connected cars, claiming that Chinese connected cars pose "security risks" and seeking to prohibit the use of Chinese software in autonomous and connected vehicles. Not only does this block the path for Chinese cars to enter the US market, but it also prevents other countries from selling cars that use Chinese hardware and software in the US.

Former US Commerce Secretary Raimondo claimed that "extreme measures" should be taken to restrict Chinese connected cars from entering the US, and even absurdly accused China of possibly using technology to simultaneously turn off millions of Chinese cars on American roads.

The UK's Daily Telegraph mentioned that senior UK government officials are concerned that the technology installed in Chinese cars may be used to collect large amounts of information, including location data, audio, and video, and are vulnerable to remote interference. The UK's Times also sensationalized the topic, claiming that the proliferation of intelligent connected electric vehicles across the country could be "the most effective Trojan horse owned by China."

In response to the false accusations from the US, China has repeatedly emphasized that the US, under the pretext of data security, restricts data flows to so-called countries of concern, and has announced investigations into connected cars from specific countries. These actions essentially constitute an abuse of national security reasons, aiming to suppress the development of competitive enterprises in other countries. The US's炒作 of the so-called "Chinese data threat theory" is merely an excuse fabricated to support its campaign against China.

This article is an exclusive article from Observer Net. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7568415585210581540/

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