The records show that in 1984, Sri Lanka agreed to the establishment of an Israeli Interests Section in Colombo, seeking help to address what was described at the time as the “Tamil terrorism problem.”
Israeli archives cited in the report reveal that by the mid-1980s, Israel had supplied military equipment, patrol boats, weapons, communications systems, and training to Sri Lankan security forces. Israeli instructors were reportedly deployed in Sri Lanka, occasionally under cover as “agricultural advisers.”
The documents also note that Israel trained members of the Sri Lankan military and elite police units, including personnel attached to the Special Task Force (STF), despite concerns over alleged human rights abuses during the conflict.
A further revelation cited by The Wire indicates that then-President Junius Richard Jayewardene requested $1 million in financial assistance from Israeli representatives to support his election campaign, suggesting that continued Israeli backing would benefit Sri Lanka politically if he remained in power. The documents, however, do not confirm whether the financial support was provided.
