Pete Souza/White House/Wikimedia CommonsThe U.S. State Department signed a “memo of understanding” with Israel yesterday that will provide the Jewish state with $38 billion in U.S. military aid over the next 10 years. He added, “But I believe there can be no greater tribute to America’s long-standing economic aid to Israel than (to) achieve economic independence”. Since President Obama took office, the United States has provided Israel over $23.5 billion in FMF assistance (from 2009-2016). It amounts to more than half of all direct military aid the United States provides worldwide.
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For his part, Nagel said, “Everyone can see and feel the special relationship” between Israel and the United States.
“Netanyahu is the prime minister of one sector only-the settler sector, which comprises of less than 5 percent of the Israeli population”, Peace Now said in a statement.
Susan Rice said that by doing so the Obama Administration is making another “unprecedented commitment” to the security of Israel and the Israeli people.
The changes wrought by time are secondary relative to the overall framework: Interception of missiles and rockets, which did not overly occupy Israel’s attention until 2006, has now become a major concern and required American aid beyond the previous agreement.
And, while Israel will now be able to buy more of the latest F-35 fighter jets and CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor planes from American firms, it has lost a key source of support for its thriving defense industry.
Ban was also critical of the Palestinians, saying he continues “to be appalled that Palestinian parties choose to praise despicable acts, such as the 1972 terrorist attack against Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics”. His remarks came during a meeting on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”. The first of 33 jets are expected to be delivered in December.
-A phasing-out of a special arrangement that for decades has allowed Israel to use 26.3 percent of the USA aid on its own defense industry instead of on American-made weapons. The deal says that Israel can not directly lobby Congress for more aid, unless it is at war.
-Elimination of a longstanding provision that has allowed Israel to use about 13 percent of the USA aid to buy military fuel. Also, the money must be used to buy US -made weapons instead of spending it to further develop its own defense industry. This was unique in USA military aid packages.
USA president says the 10-year, $38bn arms deal will help bolster Israel’s security in “a unsafe neighborhood”. The new deal phases that out.
Officials from both countries said that while the package constituted the most USA military aid ever given to any country, it entails concessions by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Patty Culhane writes in Al Jazeera, “If you look at the money that the US Congress routinely gives Israel on top of that $3.1bn, it’s really not that much more…”
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For years, the US’ funding for Israeli missile defence has been subject to the uncertainty of the annual appropriations process.
