Al Araby pointed out that the security field in Africa has undergone a significant transformation in the last 15 years.
According to the news, in addition to the classical military cooperation between states on the continent, private security companies, retired soldiers, defense technology companies and commercial intermediaries have begun to take on an increasing role.
Al Araby stated that this transformation has caused some security functions to shift from state institutions to the private sector, and this can be described as "privatized security diplomacy".
According to Al Araby's assessment, Israel's security presence in Africa; It spreads to different areas such as military training, consultancy, protection of political leaders, arms and equipment supply, maintenance services, surveillance systems and cyber technologies.
According to Israeli Ministry of Defense data, the country's defense exports in 2025 will reach approximately 19.2 billion dollars, while Africa's share in total exports remains at approximately 2 percent.
Al Araby stated, however, that Israel's influence in Africa cannot be measured only by the monetary size of its arms sales, but that longer-term relationships such as training and consultancy also create influence.
ISRAELI EXPERTS IN ELITE UNITS IN CAMEROON
Al Araby cited Cameroon as one of the notable examples of the influence of Israeli veterans in the security field.
The news stated that former Israeli officer Abraham Avi Sivan played an important role in the training and organization of the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR), one of the country's elite military units.
It was reported that after Sivan's death in 2010, retired Israeli General Mayer Heres continued his consultancy activities.
According to the academic study cited by Al Araby, Heres continued to influence the BIR and the Presidential Guard in later years as the security advisor to Cameroonian President Paul Biya.
Al Araby stated that in Guinea, private companies stand out more directly.
It was stated that Global CST, founded by retired Israeli General Israel Ziv, was associated with a deal worth approximately $10 million to train, arm and equip the Presidential Guard in 2009 during the reign of Moussa Dadis Camara.
In the news, based on SIPRI data, it was noted that the official permission the company received was limited to examining Guinea's security needs, and that the scope of the contract led to the intervention of the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Al Araby emphasized that this example also shows that the activities of a private Israeli company cannot be directly equated with the official policies of the Israeli state.
SECURITY AND STRATEGIC RESOURCES
The news pointed out that private security activities in Africa are not limited to the protection of political leaders or military units.
It was stated that gold, diamond, cobalt and copper mines, oil and natural gas fields, ports, energy facilities and telecommunication infrastructures are also within the scope of activity of security companies.
Al Araby stated that the presence of private security companies in regions where strategic resources are located provides protection for investors, but raises questions in terms of sovereignty, transparency and accountability.
Al Araby cited the Democratic Republic of Congo as one of the current examples where security and strategic resources intersect.
In the episode based on the news published by Reuters in February 2026, it was reported that Israeli military advisors trained two Congolese special forces battalions.
However, Al Araby specifically emphasized that available information does not indicate that these advisors directly protect mines or participate in conflicts.
SURVEILLANCE AND CYBER TECHNOLOGY A NEW AREA OF INFLUENCE
According to Al Araby, one of the most important new dimensions of Israel's security influence in Africa emerges in the field of technology.
Surveillance systems, communication technologies, unmanned aerial vehicles, data analysis and cybersecurity solutions are increasingly making up security relationships.
It was reported that in Israel's 2025 defense exports, surveillance and optical systems have a 22 percent share, unmanned aerial vehicles have a 4 percent share, and intelligence and cyber security systems have a 2 percent share.
Al Araby pointed out that since such systems require training, maintenance and updating, they may create long-term dependency relationships with supplier countries or companies.
The news also included Pegasus spy software developed by Israel-based NSO Group.
According to Amnesty International's 2021 data, more than 3,500 phone numbers belonging to journalists, dissidents, activists, politicians and diplomats were included in the potential target list in a targeting process related to Rwanda.
Al Araby underlined that the presence of a phone number on the list is different from technically proving that the device was actually seized by Pegasus.
MULTILATERAL STRUGGLE FOR INFLUENCE IN AFRICA
Al Araby stated that Israel's security activities on the continent should be evaluated within a broader international competition.
It was noted that countries such as the USA, Russia, China and Türkiye are also trying to increase their influence in Africa through military training, arms sales, defense technologies and economic partnerships.
For this reason, the news stated that Israel's activities on the continent should be evaluated not as a stand-alone and independent phenomenon, but as a part of the multilateral struggle for influence in Africa.
Al Araby stated that one of the most sensitive dimensions of Israeli-related security and technology activities for the Arab world emerged around the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.
Haberde, bu bölgelerdeki güvenlik sistemlerine ve bilgi ağlarına erişimin stratejik önem taşıdığı ifade edildi.
However, Al Araby emphasized that independent evidence is required on a case-by-case basis before it can be said that the activities of Israeli security companies have directly changed maritime security or the political attitudes of African countries towards Arab issues, including Palestine.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRIVATE COMPANIES AND STATE POLICY
One of the main points that stood out in Al Araby's analysis was that the activities of Israeli private companies and the official policies of the Israeli state should not automatically be considered the same.
The news stated that private companies act with commercial contracts and economic interests, while states create policies with broader diplomatic and strategic calculations.
On the other hand, it was stated that the provision of long-term training, technology, maintenance and security consultancy by foreign companies and experts could lead to discussions on foreign dependency, data security, transparency and sovereignty in African countries.
