Declassified documents from Israel’s Foreign Ministry have revealed that former Sri Lankan President Junius Richard Jayewardene had requested US$1 million from Mossad to finance his 1987 election campaign.
According to diplomatic cables dated August 6 and August 14, 1987, the request was made during a meeting with a Mossad representative at a time when Sri Lanka was under pressure from Arab states and local opposition to close the Israeli Interests Section in Colombo.
The revelations, reported by The Wire, are based on partially declassified files from the Israel State Archives detailing Sri Lanka–Israel relations during the mid-1980s.
Sri Lanka had severed ties with Israel in 1970 but restored limited relations in 1984 by opening an Israeli Interests Section at the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, amid the escalation of the civil war. The documents indicate that Sri Lanka sought Israeli assistance to counter Tamil militancy.
By the late 1980s, Israel had supplied military equipment worth around US$30 million, including Dvora-class patrol boats, Mini-Uzi weapons, communications systems and ammunition. Israeli personnel also provided training to Sri Lankan military units and presidential security teams, sometimes under the cover of agricultural advisory roles.
The files further show that Israeli support extended to the Special Task Force (STF), despite concerns raised by U.S. officials over human rights issues. Training was also provided for a VIP protection unit following an assassination attempt on President Jayewardene in 1987.
While the documents confirm that Jayewardene sought campaign funding, there is no evidence that Israel provided the requested US$1 million. However, Israeli officials acknowledged their strategic interest in his political survival, noting that a change in leadership could have led to the removal of Israeli representation in Sri Lanka.
The documents also highlight concerns among Israeli diplomats over Sri Lanka’s human rights situation during the civil war, including reports of civilian casualties and enforced disappearances. Despite this, Israel continued its military and intelligence cooperation, viewing it as vital to maintaining bilateral ties.
Overall, the declassified files offer rare insight into the depth of Sri Lanka–Israel relations and the geopolitical considerations that shaped cooperation during a turbulent period in the country’s history.
