US set to boost military aid to Israel amid fears over Iran diplomacy
The United States is poised to increase its annual military assistance to Israel amid Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fears over nuclear diplomacy with Iran, according to reports.
With the current $3 billion annual military aid package set to expire in 2017, US and Israeli officials are discussing a new 10-year deal that could be worth up to $45 billion.
A US official said on condition of anonymity that the new agreement could bring US military aid up to $3.7 billion a year.
During a briefing with reporters on Thursday, Netanyahu refused to say how much Israel was requesting from the United States.
However, he said the increased military assistance was not a “quid pro quo” for a possible nuclear deal with Iran, which Israel strongly opposes.
“There is no trade-off requiring I agree to this [nuclear] deal with Iran. The deal is bad and we will continue to oppose it,” Netanyahu said, according to Israeli media.
Alistair Baskey, a White House National Security Council spokesman, acknowledged Thursday that US and Israeli officials were expected to discuss ways in which “long-term security cooperation between the two countries can be further strengthened.”
But, he said “no such detailed discussions at a senior level have occurred recently.”
The administration of former US president George W. Bush signed an agreement with Israel in 2007, providing it with $30 billion in military assistance over 10 years. Most of that money must be spent on American military products.
The money is separate from the nearly $500 million in annual US funding for Israel’s missile system programs in recent years.
Netanyahu made a speech before a joint session of Congress on March 3, warning US lawmakers that the White House was negotiating “a very bad deal” with Iran.
Representatives of Iran and the P5+1—the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, began their latest round of talks on drafting the text of a final nuclear deal in the Austrian capital of Vienna on Wednesday.
HRJ/HRJ
Russia: New US aid for Ukraine will fail to change military situation
US House under pressure to urgently act on ‘war-time’ aid for Israel
US House passes controversial surveillance bill to renew spy program
Israeli airstrike kills at least 7 people in Rafah
VIDEO | Iranians hold nationwide demos in support of IRGC
Syria condemns US veto of Palestine UN membership resolution
Iraqi resistance forces hit Israeli Ovda air base
Hackers break into Israeli military’s computers, access trove of documents
Tulkarm Brigade commander killed by Israeli forces in raid on refugee camp
Zionist media desperately trying to turn Israeli defeat into victory: Iran
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
