Netanyahu Seeks More Military Aid from US

Local Editor

"Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to the United States to meet with President Obama and to discuss the military aid package for the next decade.

Under the current deal which is set to expire in 2017, "Israel" receives over $3 billion worth of military aid from the US.

Furthermore, the White House meeting, scheduled for 10:30 am [1530 GMT], will be closely watched in particular because it marks the first encounter by the two leaders since October 2014.

Since then, Washington and other world powers reached a landmark nuclear accord with Tehran in a move "Israel" strictly opposed.

In the wake of that July agreement, the relationship between Netanyahu and Obama -- who no longer bother to hide the extent of their differences -- has only deteriorated further.

Matters between the two had been tense for some time. And in March, Netanyahu, chief of the rightwing Likud Party, traveled to the US capital to court Republicans, Obama's political opponents, and addressed Congress -- much to the displeasure of the White House.

Monday's face-to-face talks - which look to be more functional than warm in nature - were meant to heal the rift left by that episode and enable the reaffirmation of the unwavering nature of the security alliance between Washington and the "Israeli" regime.

"I believe that this meeting is important in order to clarify the continuation of American aid to "Israel" in the coming decade," Netanyahu said before the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in al-Quds. "It will be another step toward realizing an understanding in this direction," he added.

According to media reports, "Israel" seeks to secure a decade-long aid package worth a total of $50 billion, and "Israeli" officials have already provided Washington with the list of armaments they hope to obtain per this program. The list includes a squadron of F-15 tactical fighter aircraft, V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, military helicopters, a new tanker aircraft, precision-guided munitions and means to develop new missile defense systems, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported.

The two leaders will also discuss the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, the ongoing Syrian civil war and "Israel's" relations with the Palestine Authority [PA].

On Friday, a White House official said a new US-"Israeli" Memorandum of Understanding on a military aid package was unlikely to be finalized during Netanyahu's visit, as the United States had introduced severe budget cuts on many programs.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team