Exploding pagers got ‘attention’ in Taiwan, bilateral ties strong, says Israel envoy
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Security sources said Israel was responsible for the pagers, marked with the name of Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, that detonated in Lebanon in September.
PHOTO: REUTERS
TAIPEI – Exploding pagers in Lebanon linked to a Taiwanese company got attention in Taiwan, but Israel’s ties with the island are strong and based on shared values with good lines of communication, the Israeli envoy in Taipei said on Oct 7.
Security sources have said Israel was responsible for the pagers, carrying the name of Taiwan-based Gold Apollo, that detonated in Lebanon in a deadly blow to Iran-backed Hezbollah in September. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.
Gold Apollo has said it did not manufacture the devices used in the attack and that Hungary-based company BAC, to which the pagers were traced, had a licence to use its brand. Taiwan’s government has also said the pagers were not made in Taiwan.
Speaking to reporters at an event in Taipei to mark one year since the attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on Israel, Ms Maya Yaron, the country’s de facto ambassador to Taiwan, declined direct comment on the pagers.
“Here, maybe, that incident took much more attention, but in our view in Israel we had Nasrallah, we had missile attacks from Iran,” she said, referring to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli air strike on Beirut and a retaliatory air strike against Israel by Tehran.
“We’re doing everything we can with all the tools that we can to fight Hezbollah, Hamas (and) the Houthis.”
Israel, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan. But Taiwan views Israel as an important democratic partner and offered strong support to the country after the 2023 Hamas attack.
Asked if the linking of Taiwan to the pagers had affected relations, Ms Yaron said she was not concerned about anything affecting their ties.
“I think that they are strong, and they are based on democratic values, liberal values and things that keep us united together and this is why we understand each other,” she said.
“We are in constant contact on many issues on this ongoing war since Oct 7. On everything, we have an open line of communication.” REUTERS
