Swords Into Plowshares: Israel Missile Factory Producing Ventilators

Israel weapons manufacturer will not produce ventilators amid corona crisis. — Photo: Kobi Richter/TPS

We might not yet have arrived at the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (2:4), but we did perhaps catch a glimpse this week as Israel’s main missile factory began producing ventilators.

Like most other nations battling the coronavirus pandemic, Israel faces a shortage of available and operational ventilators to effectively treat those afflicted by the respiratory disease known as COVID-19.

A lot innovative people have come up with a lot of innovative ideas to address the ventilator shortages. But few offered any kind of mass-producible solution.

Until now.

Israel’s Ministry of Defense on Thursday announced that, in collaboration with the medical equipment firm Inovytec and the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), it had produced and delivered the first 30 emergency ventilators to the Ministry of Health.

The ventilators were produced at a classified IAI factory that usually produces missiles for the Israel Air Force.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Defense, this strategic sword had been beaten into a life-saving plowshare (to use our own words) within a matter of days.

The statement continued:

“This development will enable the production of crucial ventilators for the life-saving treatment of patients diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus. The State of Israel must develop independent capabilities in everything related to dealing with the COVID-19 virus pandemic. We cannot remain dependent on procurement from other countries. We must develop independent, advanced capabilities.”