Israel seeks multi-year-long US military aid

Israel also seeks increased financial aid from the US for its missile program, The Jerusalem Post reported on Wednesday.

“We are trying to reach an agreement with the US that will spread out over a number of years,” a senior Israeli official said, referring to the additional funds that the US allocates to Israel’s missile systems such as the Arrow, which destroys ballistic missiles, and the Iron Dome, which intercepts short-range rockets.

According to Israeli officials, the negotiations on the new funding are expected to be concluded within the coming months.

The US already grants Israel about USD 3 billion in military assistance annually under a 10-year memorandum of understanding signed in 2007.

Israel’s new request seeks about USD 1 billion in aid from the US to purchase four additional Iron Dome batteries and to fund the development of David’s Sling, another missile system, which is built against medium-range rockets.

Another Israeli official said that the discussions were being held ‘despite the budget problems that the Americans are having.’

According to a report published by the Congressional Research Service, Washington has given more than USD 67 billion in military aid to Israel over the years. This year alone, Washington has allotted USD 3.1 billion, around one-fifth of its military budget, to Tel Aviv.

Americans also allow the Israeli Army to use their emergency reserve arsenal in Israel. The value of the weapons held in the emergency supplies is USD 1.2 billion.

Washington has never downsized the annual USD-three-billion military aid, despite going through its worst recession in decades, which has prompted Washington to impose major cuts on most public service programs.

The billions of dollars of American taxpayer money, which the US sends Israel’s way in the form of military and economic aid each year, is legally justified as part of the US government's foreign aid package.