Uncle Sam, the major sponsor of the Israel Defense

Due to budget cuts U.S. military aid from the United States could contract around 5%.

 

Israel will he draw a line on a portion of U.S. military aid? Certainty: the automatic cuts under the Obama administration as of March 1 will amputate spending U.S. $ 85 billion, and will affect all countries with close trade links with the United States. Insofar half cuts for military spending, the Jewish state will be directly affected. U.S. military aid to Israel - about $ 3.15 billion in 2013 - is expected to decline 5%, or approximately $ 155 million.

A decision to double trigger for the United States. If Israel annually receives nearly $ 3 billion from its major ally, is to reinvest the three-quarters of this amount in purchases of U.S. military equipment.Researchers at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Michael Eisenstadt and David Pollock, who come to cosign a report on "The benefits that the United States derive from their alliance with Israel," emphasize that military cooperation extends to many of other areas such as Homeland Security ("homeland security") or cyber.

"Major strategic ally"

In addition, a bill to get to Israel the status of "major strategic ally" of the United States was introduced in early March, on the eve of the annual conference of AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby states States. A qualification that would help put annual U.S. safe from budget cuts and expand bilateral cooperation in new areas such as energy and medical research. In any case, Washington should refrain this year cut in funding joint cooperation projects, starting with the Israeli anti-missile programs.

Former Secretary of State for Defence, Leon Panetta, has approved a budget of $ 678 million in 2013 to support the Iron Dome defense system (Iron Dome) developed by the Israeli firm Rafael and Arrow anti-ballistic systems 2 and 3, without forgetting the device to intercept medium-range David Sling. The emissaries of the Jewish State argued that the Iron Dome system, which posted 85% success rate in November - during the last skirmish with Hamas in Gaza - presents itself as a most deterrent devices to defuse a regional war. Especially in case of confrontation with Hezbollah, a conflict whose cost is estimated at tens of billions of dollars.