BICOM

Israel’s Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon met his American counterpart, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter in Washington yesterday as the two attempted to make further progress in talks over a new US military aid package to Israel.

The current memorandum of understanding between the United States and Israel details a defence package worth more than £2 billion, but is due to expire in 2017. The two countries have been discussing a new ten-year agreement, but apparently gaps still exist on the financial extent of the deal and the military hardware it will include. Washington is keen to conclude the arrangement, but reports suggest that Israel’s government and in particular Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believe that a more beneficial deal can be struck with President Obama’s successor.

US Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel last week and according to media reports, he told Netanyahu that although Israel would not get everything that it has requested in the proposed arrangement, in the past money has later been found for specific projects, such as the Iron Dome anti-missile system.

Although no details about the talks yesterday between Ya’alon and Carter regarding the new package were published, Ya’alon said that he hopes “negotiations will be concluded very soon.” He also said “our security needs in the current reality and amid ongoing regional changes are understood,” adding that, “Relations with the US are the cornerstone of our national security.” Ya’alon and Carter are also reported to have agreed to increase cooperation over cybersecurity.

In an address later yesterday at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, Ya’alon outlined Israel’s continuing concerns over Iran’s growing ambitions. He said that Tehran is “more confident, more free to act in the region today with more money as a result of the sanctions relief [following July’s nuclear deal], violating many UN resolutions, international resolutions regarding the proliferation of arms and terror.” Last week, Iran tested ballistic missiles in breach of UN Security Council resolutions for the third time since July.