US $8.7 billion package to 'Israel' revealed: Israeli media
3 Min Read
More than half of the new $8.7 billion US package is meant to replenish "Israel's" Iron Dome and David's Sling stocks.
-
Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in the southern village of Sejoud, seen from Marjayoun, south Lebanon, on September 25, 2024. (AP)
Israeli outlet Walla reported that the director general of the ministry of security, Colonel (Ret.) Eyal Zamir, provided a comprehensive overview on Thursday in Washington of the details surrounding the American aid package designated for the ongoing war, totaling $8.7 billion.
The report indicates that, as part of the agreement, $3.5 billion will be designated to finance essential procurements for the war, with these funds having already been transferred to the Ministry of Security's account. Furthermore, $5.2 billion will be allocated for air defense systems, including the Iron Dome, David's Sling, and the cutting-edge laser system, with disbursements scheduled to follow the summaries concluded during the visit.
The director general of the ministry of security has successfully concluded discussions with his US counterparts on the $8.7 billion US aid package for the war, known as the "Biden grant." This morning, the first tranche of $3.5 billion was transferred to the account of the Ministry of Security's procurement delegation in the United States, designated for critical procurements for the "Israel" occupation forces, according to Walla.
Additionally, Colonel (Ret.) Zamir reached an agreement with the administration on the specifics of the $5.2 billion aid package dedicated to "Israel's" air defense systems. These funds will be used to strengthen the Iron Dome, David's Sling, and advanced laser systems currently in development.
Ceasefire efforts and Netanyahu's double-talk
Earlier on Thursday night, the Israeli Prime Minister's office said that "Israel shares the aims" of the US-led initiative for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s earlier denial of having a private agreement with the US on the ceasefire proposal sparked tensions with the White House, according to Axios. On that note, the statement was released exclusively in English on the Israeli Prime Minister's Office Facebook page, suggesting yet another instance of double-talk by Netanyahu.
It was another example of Netanyahu's back-and-forth in the past 24 hours regarding the Lebanon ceasefire proposal announced on Wednesday, as he distanced himself from the initiative on Thursday morning, bowing to political pressure from his ultranationalist coalition partners despite his involvement in the negotiations.
During a call with reporters, White House spokesperson John Kirby emphasized that the Biden administration wouldn't have put forward the 21-day ceasefire proposal if they hadn't believed the Israeli government was in agreement. This underscored the mounting tensions between the two allies over the evolving situation.
