Israeli Army Bans Chinese Cars From Entering Its Bases

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have imposed a complete ban on Chinese-made vehicles entering their bases, citing concerns over potential espionage via built-in sensors and cameras.

Israel National News reported on this.

According to the new directive, all active-duty officers and civilian employees who own Chinese vehicles will be required to park them outside military installations.

The decision stems from fears that confidential information could be compromised through surveillance systems integrated into the cars.

A month earlier, IDF command had already introduced restrictions at the Gideonim Signal Corps base near Tzrifin, prohibiting the parking of Chinese vehicles within the premises. Owners were instructed to leave their cars in designated areas away from sensitive sites.

The Chinese Threat

In early July, Israel’s Ministry of Defense acknowledged the risk of critical information leaks through Chinese electric vehicles and officially suspended their supply for IDF officers.

By that time, the Israeli defense ministry had already received over 600 Chinese-made cars, including models like the MG ZS EV and Chery Tiggo 8, which were actively used as service vehicles by officers — even near the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv.

However, the new BYD Atto 3 electric cars, which were intended for IDF lieutenant colonels, were not put into operation following an inspection of their electronic systems.

To minimize the risk of information leaks, the eCall system – an automatic emergency services contact feature – was forcibly disabled in the delivered vehicles.

However, experts believe this measure is insufficient. According to Dr. Harel Menashri, one of the founders of the cyber division of Shin Bet, Chinese vehicles should be considered mobile intelligence-gathering platforms capable of collecting audio, video, geolocation, and biometric data – and transmitting it to servers in China.

Israel is not the first country to implement access restrictions. Earlier this year, the United Kingdom also imposed a similar ban on Chinese vehicles entering military sites.

The restrictions apply to some of the country’s most secure military facilities. For instance, the ban was extended to RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire, which hosts the headquarters of various intelligence operations. Personnel there were instructed to avoid parking electric vehicles near the base if the sensors in those vehicles could be remotely accessed.