Obama grants Israel $205 million for rocket shield

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Thu May-13-10 02:40 PM
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Obama grants Israel $205 million for rocket shield

Source: Palestine Note

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"US President Barack Obama has reportedly approved the transfer of an additional $205 million to help Israel build a system designed to shoot down homemade rockets fired by Palestinians from Gaza.

According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, the Pentagon informed Israel's Defense Ministry of the funds, which will be used to purchase 10 so-called "Iron Dome" batteries. Originally planned to be deployed last year, the system was delayed due to budgetary restraints. The US funds are in addition to the US' estimated gift of $3 billion in military aid.

The Iron Dome is intended to intercept homemade projectiles hurled into Israel's Negev desert from the Gaza Strip. So-called "Qassam" rockets are primitive, unguided weapons often cobbled together from unused sewer pipes. The Qassams were Israel's stated pretext for its three week offensive on the Gaza Strip in 2008 and 2009, which left more than 1,400 Palestinians dead. Only 13 Israeli soldiers and civilians died in the conflict, including several who were killed by friendly fire.

The system, developed by Haifa-based Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, was also ostensibly created to protect northern Israel from Katyusha rockets fired from Lebanon."

Read more: http://palestinenote.com/cs/blogs/news/archive/2010/05/13/obama-grants-israel-205-million-for-rocket-shield.aspx

Iron Dome defense system gets new backer: Barack Obama

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/iron-dome-defense-system-gets-new-backer-barack-obama-1.290226

U.S. agrees to fund anti-missile defense system, long delayed due to budgetary difficulties, beyond regular annual defense assistance afforded to Israel.

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"The budgetary difficulty that has been delaying Israel's armament with the anti-missile defense system Iron Dome has apparently been resolved. The Pentagon has issued a message to Israel's Defense Ministry that U.S. President Barack Obama has approved the transfer of special assistance totaling $205 million (just under NIS 800 million) for the purchase of more than ten Iron Dome batteries.

The Iron Dome missile defense system aced a test run in January, and event that convinced senior defense officials that the defense system was on its way to becoming operational and that it will be able to effectively protect against short-range missiles, such as Katyushas and Qassams, which often hit Israeli towns."

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"Israel has recently raised the possibility that the U.S. assist in the funding of the project by transferring a sum of money beyond the U.S.'s annual defense assistance. The request was reviewed closely during Defense Minister Ehud Barak's last visit to Washington earlier this month, and during talks between Barak and Obama and other senior American defense officials.

On Wednesday, Barak was notified that Israel's request had been granted. Director General of the Defense Ministry, Udi Shani, is currently in Washington to finalize the details. A senior Israeli defense official told Haaretz on Thursday that the U.S. assistance was "a breakthrough, which will significantly facilitate moving forward with the project. The question of funding has been, up until now, the main obstacle."