Israel asks US Congress for $317mn more missile funding: Report
Israeli officials have asked the US Congress for an additional $317 million to be added to the proposed budget for the regime's missile programs.
The funds requested by Israel are in addition to the $158 million the Pentagon proposed for the fiscal year that starts on October 1, the Jerusalem Post reported on Saturday.
According to a report published by Bloomberg on Friday, the funds are for Israeli David's Sling and Arrow 3 missile systems.
"Israel’s latest lobbying on Capitol Hill, instead of through the White House and Pentagon, comes at a low point in political relations between the US and Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned speech to Congress on March 3,” the report said.
The report further said Yair Ramati, the director of Israel’s missile organization, met with the members of the US Congress on February 2 and 3 to outline the request for further funds and to express thanks for the US help.
The US funds Israel’s missile systems separately through an annual $3.1 billion given to it as “foreign military financing” in order to purchase arms via the State Department and foreign operations budget, according to the report.
For the present fiscal year, Congress added around $347 million for missile programs, including the Iron Dome, bringing the total to $620 million.
US lawmakers also approved an additional $225 million in emergency funds for the Iron Dome.
No objections were raised by the White House or the US Defense Department in relation to the extra money.
The Arrow 3, which is called Hetz 3 in Hebrew, is supposed to be a more advanced version of the Arrow 2.
The Arrow system, built to function against some ballistic missiles, made its first battery operational in October 2000.
The Iron Dome is a short-range rocket system designed to intercept rockets and artillery shells fired from a range of between four and 70 kilometers.
David's Sling is designed to deal with large-caliber artillery rockets, cruise missiles, and short-range ballistic missiles.
SRK/NT/AS
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