Reuters
US promises Israel $2.16 bln military aid
Wed Nov 27 14:32:52 2002
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US promises Israel $2.16 bln military aid in 2004
Reuters, 11.21.02, 11:12 AM ET


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration has promised Israel $2.16 billion in foreign military assistance in 2004, a slight increase over the $2.1 billion it has asked Congress to provide in 2003, the State Department said Thursday.

"The administration fully appreciates the dangers Israel faces from proliferation and conventional arms build-up in the region, as well as acknowledges the substantial risks Israel has taken to pursue peace," it said in a statement.

The $2.16 billion, which is subject to congressional approval, compares with $2.04 billion allocated in the fiscal year 2002, which ended Sept. 30 this year, a U.S. official said.

It is separate from U.S. economic support to Israel, which amounted to $600 million in 2002 and is scheduled to fall by $120 million a year until it disappears by 2008.

The United States made the commitment to Israel in an exchange of letters Nov. 15, at the end of a two-day meeting of their Joint Political Military Group in Washington.

"These letters affirm this administration's commitment to maintaining and enhancing Israel's security and qualitative edge over any combination of adversaries and displays the full confidence and interest we place in the important advantages the U.S.-Israeli strategic relationship has and will continue to provide us," the State Department said in a statement.

The letters reaffirmed that the United States would treat Israel's requests for U.S. military equipment and technologies by the same criteria by which it treats requests from NATO members, the statement said.

Copyright 2002, Reuters News Service

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