US to Boost Military Aid to Israel

[freepalestine]

16:14 11/11/2010
http://www.palestinechronicle.com/images/bullet.jpg US to Boost Military Aid to Israel



The United States has planned to expand its military aid to the Israeli regime over the next two years, adding smart bombs to the new supply list.
US Congress approved a boost of $400 million worth of additional military equipment for Tel Aviv last month, Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported on Thursday.
The fresh aid package will bring the value of American military equipment stockpiled in Israel to $1.2 billion by 2012.
The type of equipment stockpiled in Israel is determined through dialogue between the Israeli military and the US Army's European Command.
It is believed that a great deal of the equipment will include “precision weapons” launched from air, according to the Israeli paper.
Israeli Army Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said earlier this week that Tel Aviv would need 'much more precision weaponry' for future wars.
The agreement between Washington and Tel Aviv includes conditions under which the Israeli military may use what is officially labeled as US equipment. This has led to speculations as to whether the US military stockpiles in Israel are in fact meant for the Israeli regime.
Meanwhile, a new report has revealed that Israel planned a military confrontation against Lebanon. An unnamed French official told Lebanese daily As-Safir on Wednesday that he was informed about the plan during his Middle East tour four weeks ago.
The French official said Israeli sources told him that they have completed their military and civil preparations over the past month and that the infrastructure and the settlements adjacent to the border with Lebanon were now ready to confront the prospect of war at any moment.
Israel suffered a crushing defeat after invading Lebanon in the summer of 2006 and was forced to leave the region without achieving any of its objectives.
The war claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Lebanese -- mainly civilians.



http://www.palestinechronicle.com/news.php?id=9b94eadb25ea1e90be97510e9cd41a44&mode=details

[freepalestine]

US government offers Israel $3 billion weapons deal in exchange for 3-month settlement freeze

Sunday November 14, 2010 11:19 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News


After US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with the Israeli Prime Minister on Friday, the US set out an offer of additional military assistance to Israel in exchange for a 90-day moratorium on new settlement construction in the West Bank. Construction already in progress on hundreds of units of housing would be allowed to continue during the 'moratorium', which also does not include East Jerusalem.
Some Palestinian analysts say the US offer is weak, as it does not pressure Israel in any way to adhere to past signed agreements or international law, but merely forestalls the inevitable failure of 'peace talks' between two vastly unequal players. Some have even suggested that this is an attempt by the US to bribe Israel to do what it is required to do under international law.

Since the 'moratorium' would not include East Jerusalem, where the majority of current construction of Israeli-only homes and displacement of indigenous Palestinian residents is taking place, some Palestinians feel that it is only a token gesture that does not in any way address their concerns.

In exchange for the temporary, partial moratorium on construction, the Israeli military would receive a gift of 20 F35 fighter jets, worth $3 billion, from the US. The US-made jets that Israel already has have been used for aerial bombardment of Palestinian civilian areas in violation of international law, and to drop missiles on Palestinians that Israel claims are 'wanted' for crimes against Israelis – but instead of being tried and convicted, they are extrajudicially assassinated by missiles, in violation of international law.

The US government also promised Israel that after the 90-day moratorium, they would not seek an extension, and settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem (all of which is illegal under international law) could continue unabated.

This offer is an attempt by the US to get Israel to return to the negotiating table, after their refusal to renew a moratorium on new settlement construction resulted in a breakdown of talks with the unelected branch of the Palestinian Authority led by the Fateh party.

All settlement construction by Israel in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a signatory. The Convention prevents the transfer of civilian populations onto land that was seized by military force. The land in question is Palestinian land that was seized by Israel in 1967, and has been occupied by the Israeli military ever since.
http://imemc.org/article/59904

[CynicalIdealist]

So, who voted against the package this time other than the obvious Kucinich/Ron Paul?

[Hexen]

A nation founded on genocide aids yet another nation founded on genocide. How convenient and Ironic at the same time.

[Sosa]

So, who voted against the package this time other than the obvious Kucinich/Ron Paul?

I would hope that Bernie Sanders voted against it

[Sosa]

explain

He's a socialist congressman...so I would assume he would've voted against this

[Property Is Robbery]

The truth hurts

"Obama pledged over $30 billion dollars of aid to Israel over the next decade"
XBJZdQJV7fU

[Rakhmetov]

I hope the U.S. goes bankrupt. They deserve it. ;)

[Hexen]

I hope the U.S. goes bankrupt. They deserve it. ;)

I think this is inevitable.

[Tablo]

Why hasn't this country gone bankrupt yet... >.>
The US has been in the red for years.

[NoOneIsIllegal]

He's a socialist congressman...so I would assume he would've voted against this
He's a self-identified socialist, but his actions/talk are mostly social-democrat. Nevertheless, I would still assume he would vote against such a proposal.

On original topic: not surprising, but still really fucked up.