US CONGRESS PASSES PRO-ISRAEL DEFENSE SPENDING, BUYS ISRAELI MISSILE SYSTEMS

A David’s Sling interceptor battery (Credit: Sven Nackstrand, AFP)

The US Congress passed a major defense spending bill this week that provisions over 500 million US dollars for the development and purchase of Israeli missile defense systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow 2 and 3. It also provides $25 million for the development of new systems to counter drones from hostile states, such as the ones used by Iran to attack Saudi oil installations in October of this year.

US defense contractors have a long history of cooperation with Israeli contractors in the development and sale of missile defense systems, and the US Army has shown increasing interest in Israeli systems such as Iron Dome which have a proven, real-world track record in defending Israeli communities against rocket attacks originating from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and the Iranian and Hezbollah-controlled portions of Syria.

Sources:

https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/smd/2019/08/12/its-official-us-army-inks-iron-dome-deal/

https://www.aipac.org/resources/aipac-publications/publication?pubpath=PolicyPolitics/Press/AIPAC%20Statements/2019/12/2019%201217%20NDAA%20FY%2020