Israel approves a German tanks' sale to Saudi Arabia

""Before the domestic dispute, the federal government had already asked for a green light for the deal abroad . Well before the current decision in the Federal Security Council, according to government sources, Israel and the United States were informed of the intention to sell the tanks. From both capitals, there were no objections, was said to SPIEGEL ONLINE. Since decades the U.S. is providing military equipment to Saudi Arabia: The country is an ally in the unstable region, and by exports, the Americans also secure again and again contacts to the royal family in Riyadh. Along the way, the U.S. defense industry makes good money on the sheiks, with whom money is still plentiful.  Israel on the other hand, previously always viewed exports of armaments to Saudi Arabia critical. This attitude has reportedly changed dramatically in recent months: instead of an enemy, the Israeli government by now sees the strict Islamic country as one of the few reliable and stable governments in the region.  [...] For many German MPs, however, the attitude of Saudi Arabia to its neighboring state of Bahrain is at the center.""  (thanks Don)