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11-04-2003, 04:38 AM
The US gives Israel more military aid than any other country
The United States will ask Congress to shell out $2.22 billion in military aid to Israel for the fiscal year of 2005.
This is $60 million more than in 2004, according to a US State Department statement on Monday.
The increase is in line with a 1990s agreement which reduces economic assistance to Israel by $120 million a year, while adding $60 million a year to the military component of the package, the largest Washington gives to any country.
The statement said the Bush administration was committed to enhancing Israeli security and “maintaining Israel’s qualitative edge over any combination of adversaries”.
Apart from the annual military and economic assistance, Washington is also guaranteeing international loans by Israel up to an amount of $9 billion over three years.
The $9 billion is liable to deductions equivalent to the Israeli government’s spending on settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, but the United States has given Israel clearance to start borrowing before deciding how much it will deduct.
Egypt and Jordan, who have both signed peace treaties with Israel, receive $1.3 billion and about $225 million respectively in military aid from Washington annually.
The United States will ask Congress to shell out $2.22 billion in military aid to Israel for the fiscal year of 2005.
This is $60 million more than in 2004, according to a US State Department statement on Monday.
The increase is in line with a 1990s agreement which reduces economic assistance to Israel by $120 million a year, while adding $60 million a year to the military component of the package, the largest Washington gives to any country.
The statement said the Bush administration was committed to enhancing Israeli security and “maintaining Israel’s qualitative edge over any combination of adversaries”.
Apart from the annual military and economic assistance, Washington is also guaranteeing international loans by Israel up to an amount of $9 billion over three years.
The $9 billion is liable to deductions equivalent to the Israeli government’s spending on settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, but the United States has given Israel clearance to start borrowing before deciding how much it will deduct.
Egypt and Jordan, who have both signed peace treaties with Israel, receive $1.3 billion and about $225 million respectively in military aid from Washington annually.