US thinks about increasing military aid to Israel

US military aid to Israel is likely to increase by 400 million dollars, from 3,1 to 3,5 billions of dollars in 2018 year.

US President Barack Obama, in a letter to Republican congressman Gerald Nadleru, confirmed that negotiations are underway on a new ten-year military aid package between Israel and the United States, reports the Washington Post.

In the previous package, approved by the administration of US President George W. Bush in 2007, more than 30 billions of dollars were allocated to Israel for ten years.

In his letter to Nadler, Obama wrote that ongoing negotiations "will cement an unprecedented level of military assistance over the next decade."

According to the Washington Post, if the military aid package is increased to 3,5 billion dollars, then it will cover almost 20% of the defense budget of Israel.

However, this amount will not fully meet the military needs of Israel. The American analytical website Defense News reported in May that Israel had previously requested annual military assistance in the amount of 4,2 to 4,5 billions of dollars.

In any case, the $3,5 billion annual US military aid to Israel does not include an additional $500 million per year (as of 2015) for the development of missile defense systems: Hetz (long range), David's Sling. (medium range) and Iron Dome (short range).

Israeli and US military experts told Defense News that negotiations on a new ten-year military aid package are completely separate from any potential compensation package that the Obama administration can offer Israel if a nuclear agreement with Iran is ultimately signed.

As the Washington Post notes, “these costly steps will not lead to Israeli support for the agreement.”

“They are intended to be sufficient reason or pretext for Jewish and pro-Israel members of Congress to vote against the resolution disapproving of the agreement when Congress returns from recess in September,” the newspaper writes.

Earlier, Israel said that no military assistance or any other form of compensation would reduce the threat posed by Iran.