US begins implementation of 10-year $38B defence aid plan for Israel
The U.S. State Department has announced that an MOU signed in 2016 between the United States and Israel, to provide $38 billion in defence financing to Israel has become officially operational.
President Barack Obama meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office on Oct. 1, 2014. Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.
State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert released a statement announcing the implementation of the MOU, saying that, “Under the terms of the MOU, the United States will set funding for Israel at levels of $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing and $500 million for cooperative programs for missile defense over each of the next ten years, a significant increase enabling Israel to acquire additional advanced military capabilities from the United States that will, over time, enhance Israel’s security and strengthen our bilateral relationship.”
The statement reiterates the United State’s longstanding bi-partisan commitment to the safety and security of Israel. “Our implementation of this historic MOU reflects the enduring and unshakable commitment of the President, this Administration, and the American people to Israel’s security,” Nauert stated, noting that, “The MOU was negotiated under the previous Administration, reflecting the bi-partisan nature of this commitment.”
“The United States unconditionally affirms Israel’s right to self-defense, and this MOU is a concrete demonstration of our commitment to Israel’s capacity to defend itself with a qualitative military edge over all potential regional adversaries,” Nauert added.
While Israel receives among the largest annual aid packages from the United States, Israel provides the United States with significant value, both in terms of intelligence it provides, as well as operational feedback on equipment which can be later deployed by the U.S. or sold to other countries.
“Israel is a valuable and capable ally to the United States that today faces dangerously escalating regional threats, first and foremost from the Iranian regime’s sponsorship of terrorist groups seeking to attack not only Israel but also American interests. Israel is also threatened by the reckless proliferation of destabilizing weapons systems into the region that increase the possibility of an escalated conflict in an already dangerous and volatile theater,” Nauert stated.
JNS
