Speaking before the ceremony, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the United States for what he described as the “unprecedented” and “historic” defense aid package.
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The United States will give Israel $38 billion in military aid over a decade, the largest such aid package in US history, under an agreement disclosed this week and signed on Wednesday. Netanyahu’s office confirmed in a brief statement that a deal had been reached, but offered no additional comment.
“The U.S.is sending a message to the region that despite all the differences between us and Israel over last few years, none of Israel’s adversaries have a patron willing to commit as much money to their defense as the United States is committing to Israel”, The Washington Institute analyst David Makovsky told USA Today.
The agreement concludes many months of negotiations that involved a delicate calculation by Jerusalem about whether to strike a deal with the outgoing USA president.
The new US-Israel MOU on security assistance will be effective for fiscal years 2019 through 2028, according to the US State Department.
The aid totals $3.8 billion a year – up from $3.1 billion the US gave Israel annually under the current 10-year deal that expires in 2018. The agreement also includes a provision curtailing Israel’s ability to spend the funds on its own arms industry over the next six years – a key area of dispute during talks.
The United States and the global community consider these settlements to be a primary obstacle to Palestinian independence.
Obama issued a statement following the signing ceremony characterizing it as “the most recent reflection of my steadfast commitment to the security” of Israel.
U.S. president Barack Obama said: “This commitment to Israel’s security has been unwavering and is based on a genuine and abiding concern for the welfare of the Israeli people and the future of the state of Israel”.
He said the deal is expected to help Israel build its military power, focusing on anti-missile defense abilities. She also added that this agreement clarifies that U.S. will always be there for the state of Israel and its people for tomorrow and upcoming generations too. And Israel also can’t spend the money on fuel for its military, either.
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In his statement, Netanyahu acknowledged the recent diplomatic disputes between Jerusalem and Washington, but said they “had no effect whatsoever on the great friendship between Israel and the United States”.
