U.S. to Supply Israel $2.22 Billion Dollars in Military Aid In 2005

[Ash]

U.S. to Supply Israel $2.22 Billion Dollars in Military Aid In 2005


U.S. to Supply Israel $2.22 Billion Dollars in Military Aid In 2005


The State department issued a press release detailing the 36th meeting of the U.S. Israel Joint Political Military Group held in Israel. During the meeting it was confirmed the that the intent of the administration, subject to Congressional approval, was to provide Israel $2.22 billion in foreign military assistance in FY 2005.

A Memorandum of Agreement signed by Ronald Reagan and Yitzhak Shamir established the following Israeli-U.S. Joint Groups:

A. The Joint Political Military Group (JPMG) is the forum in which the two states discuss and implement, pursuant to existing arrangements, joint cooperative efforts such as combined planning, joint exercises, and logistics. The JPMG also discusses current political-military issues of mutual strategic concern.

1. The JPMG is a binational, interagency group co-chaired by the director general of the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the U.S. assistant secretary of state for politico-military affairs.

2. The JPMG normally meets biannually, alternating between Israel and the United States.

B. The Joint Security Assistance Planning Group (JSAP) is the forum in which the two states review Israel's requests for security assistance in light of current threat assessments and U.S. budgetary capabilities, and agree upon proposed levels of security assistance. The JSAP also discusses issues related to security assistance, such as industrial and technological cooperation, as well as issues related to Israel's inclusion among those countries currently designated as major non-NATO allies of the United States for the purpose of cooperative research and development under Section 1105 of the 1987 National Defense Authorization Act.

1. The JSAP is a binational, interagency group co-chaired by the director general of the Ministry of Defense and the undersecretary of state for security assistance, science and technology.

2. The JSAP currently meets annually, in Washington, D.C.

C. The Joint Economic Development Group (JEDG) is the forum which discusses developments in Israel's economy. With a view to stimulating economic growth and self-reliance, the JEDG exchanges views o_n Israeli economic policy planning, stabilization efforts, and structural reform. The JEDG also evaluates Israel's requests for U.S. economic assistance.

1. The JEDG is a binational, interagency group co-chaired by the director general of the Ministry of Finance and the undersecretary of state for economic affairs. The group includes private U.S. and Israeli economists invited by their respective countries.

2. The JEDG currently meets biannually, alternating between the United States and Israel.

[majithia]

US military and economic aid to Israel has now reached more than Marshal Plan to Europe. Not only the military aid is unconditional ( in most cases outright grants), Israel illegal nuclear activities are effectively blocked from international scrutiny and criticsm. There is this "National Defense Authorization Act" that has barred U.S. companies from releasing satellite images of Israel’s nuclear reactor at Dimona higher resolution than those available from foreign commercial companies . Images of Dimona have been routinely degraded to a 2-meter resolution before being released. On the other hand images of Pakistan’s new plutonium-production reactor at Khushab (operational since 1997) are released for propaganda purposes.