U.S.
Congress
approves
$600
million for
Israel
Al-Jazeera.com – December 25, 2005
http://thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=3968
The
U.S. congress
approved Friday
the transfer of
600 million
dollar in aid
to Israel for
joint defense
projects, in
addition aid
Israel receives
from America,
Haaretz Daily
reported.
The aid
approved will
be used to fund
joint security
projects
between Israel
and the U.S,
according to
media
reports.
The main
component in
the package,
according to
the Jerusalem
Post, is the
Arrow
anti-missile
system, a
collaborative
project between
Israel Aircraft
Industries and
Boeing.
Congress
provided 133
million dollars
for the arrow,
45 million more
than what the
U.S. government
requested for
this project,
so that the
extra money be
used to
increase the
pace of the
production of
the Arrow
components in
the U.S, and
thus enable
Israel complete
its
anti-missile
shield.
Also some $10
million will be
invested in
developing a
missile capable
of intercepting
short-range
missiles.
It was reported
earlier this
month that
Israel
successfully
tested its
Arrow
anti-missile
system, in
response to
what the
Defense
Ministry
officials
described as
the mounting
threat of
ballistic
missiles in the
region.
The 600 million
dollar aid
package also
includes
funding armor
tiling for
Bradley
personnel
carriers, for
aircraft decoy
systems and for
the Hunter and
Pioneer
unmanned air
vehicles, the
Post
stated.
"Congress is
continuing its
strong support
for
cutting-edge
defense
programs, which
benefit the
United States
and Israel and
strengthen
their strategic
partnership,"
said Josh
Block,
spokesman for
AIPAC, the
pro-Israeli
lobby, which
accelerated the
approval of the
package.
www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_id=10401
