’Israel’-US Military Deal Mired with Disagreements

Local Editor

In a new show of escalated tension between the two allies, negotiations meant to enshrine US military aid for the apartheid "Israeli" entity over the next decade have snagged on disputes about the size, scope and fine print of a new multibillion-dollar package.

Five months into the talks, several US and "Israeli" officials disclosed details about the disputes to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The US and "Israeli" governments said negotiations were continuing, declining to elaborate.

"Israel" is seeking up to $10 billion more than the current 10-year package and billions more than the US administration is offering, partly by asking for guaranteed funding for missile military projects hitherto funded on an ad hoc basis by the US Congress, the officials said.

US President Barack Obama wants to ensure the funds, thus far spent partly on "Israeli" arms, are eventually spent entirely on US-made weapons.

The differences partly reflect "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vocal opposition to the international nuclear deal with Iran championed by Obama. The two sides are also at loggerheads over the Palestinians.

"Israel" has long been a major recipient of US aid, most in the form of military assistance.

In seeking a sharp increase in military funding, "Israel" argues it needs to offset military purchases by Iran, after it secured sanctions relief in its nuclear accord.

"Israel" also wants the US administration to support missile military projects that have so far relied on ad hoc assistance by the US Congress, citing arms acquisitions by neighboring Arab states as well as Iran as conflicts rage in Syria and Yemen.

Obama's administration, which has fraught relations with Netanyahu, is offering what it says is a record sum to "Israel" to assuage fears expressed both there and among his Republican rivals at home that the deal with Iran will endanger "Israel".

But the officials say it is less money than "Israel" has sought overall and Obama also wants changes to allow US military firms to reap greater benefits from a new deal.
If unresolved before Obama leaves office in January that would also leave Netanyahu to await the next US president in hopes of securing a better deal.

The current Memorandum of Understanding [MOU], signed in 2007 and due to expire in 2018, gave "Israel" a total of about $30 billion, or an average of $3 billion annually, in so-called "Foreign Military Financing."

The "Israelis", whose annual military budget is $15 billion, want at least $3.7 billion annually under the same rubric in the new MOU.

"Israel" wants the missile military component to be "viewed as the 'floor' amount, as Congress can be asked for more on an ad hoc basis if circumstances require," said one official.

US lawmakers have in recent years given "Israel" up to $600 million in annual discretionary funds for missile systems, well beyond the $150 million requested by the Obama administration.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team