US Senate pushes for more Israel aid

More than four-fifths of the US Senate have signed a letter urging President Barack Obama to quickly reach an agreement on a new defence aid package for Israel worth more than the current $3 billion per year.

Out of the 100 Senators, 82 signed the letter, led by Republican Lindsey Graham and Democrat Chris Coons. Senator Ted Cruz, a 2016 presidential hopeful, was one of the 51 Republicans on board. The Senate’s Democratic White House hopeful, Bernie Sanders, was not among the 32 Democrats.

“In light of Israel’s dramatically rising defence challenges, we stand ready to support a substantially enhanced new long-term agreement to help provide Israel the resources it requires to defend itself and preserve its qualitative military edge,” said the letter.

It did not provide a figure for the suggested aid. Israel wants $4 billion to $4.5 billion in aid in a new agreement to replace the current memorandum of understanding, which expires in 2018. US officials have given lower target figures of about $3.7 billion. They hope for a new agreement before Mr Obama leaves office in January.

The funding is intended to boost Israel’s military and allow it to maintain a technological advantage over its Arab neighbours.

The letter said the Senate also intends to consider increased US funding for cooperative missile defence programmes, similar to increases in the past several years.

Mr Obama has asked for $150 million for such programmes, but legislators are believed to be willing to send Israel hundreds of millions for programmes like its Iron Dome air defence system.