Washington.-The United States has approved a $20 billion arms deal to Israel that includes dozens of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles, the State Department announced Tuesday.
Congress was notified of the impending sale, which includes more than 50 F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, or AMRAAMs, 120mm tank ammunition and high-explosive mortars, as well as tactical vehicles, and comes at a time of heightened concern about Israel becoming embroiled in a wider war in the Middle East.
However, the weapons are not expected to arrive in Israel anytime soon; these are contracts that will take years to fulfill. Much of what is being sold is to help Israel build up its military capabilities in the long term.
The Biden administration has sought to balance its continued support for Israel with growing calls from U.S. lawmakers and the public to curb military support for Israel because of the high number of civilian deaths from Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. It has halted a delivery of 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs amid continued Israeli bombardment of densely populated civilian areas in Gaza.
The contracts will cover not only the sale of the 50 new planes Boeing will build. They will also include upgrade kits for Israel to modify its current fleet of two dozen F-15 fighters with new engines and radars, among other improvements. The planes make up the bulk of the $20 billion package, with first deliveries planned for 2029.
“The United States is committed to Israel’s security, and it is vital to U.S. national interests to help Israel develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed sale is consistent with those objectives,” the State Department said in a statement about the sale.
“As Israel and our security services remain on high alert, I want to express my gratitude to our allies who stand united with us in the face of hate-filled threats from the Iranian regime and its terrorist allies,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a message on X.
Herzog thanked President Joe Biden and other American leaders for their “firm commitment in word and deed” to Israel’s security. “We stand united in the defense of the free world,” he stressed.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also expressed his gratitude for this arms shipment, starting in 2029, a “critical initiative for Israel’s strength buildup and maintaining its qualitative military edge in the region.”
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2024-08-16 20:37:34
