From the news desk

Obama, Netanyahu eye arms deal to mend ties

Share this article

Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a post-row summit on Monday, hoping a massive 10 year defense deal will help them move beyond a bitter public fight that shook a decades-old alliance.

After acerbic clashes over the U.S.-backed nuclear deal with Iran, the two leaders will discuss a deal expected to be worth more than $30 billion which will include a string of advanced weaponry systems, officials said.

The deal will not be finalized during the summit and would only come into effect after a current accord expires in 2017.

Precision munitions

But Obama and Netanyahu are expected to discuss commitments that could see Israel get more than the 33 hi-tech F-35 jets already ordered, precision munitions and a chance to buy V-22 Ospreys and other weapons systems designed to ensure Israel’s military edge over its neighbors.

The weapons said to be under discussion reflect the prominence of Iran in U.S. and Israeli military thinking.

The F-35 is the only aircraft able to counter the S-300 surface-to-air missile system that Russia has suggested it may sell to Tehran.

Officials said Israel may also seek to ensure that other U.S. allies in the region do not get the F-35.

The White House has so far rebuffed Arab Gulf states’ requests to buy the planes.

But while Israel has been offered some bunker-busting bombs, divisions over how to handle Tehran may put the sale of 30,000 pound “Massive Ordnance Penetrators” that could be used to target Iranian nuclear sites off the table.

“This is not something that has been raised in the context of the MoU discussions,” said senior Obama national security aide Ben Rhodes referring to the deal, known formally as a memorandum of understanding.

During his last trip to Washington in March, the Israeli prime minister found the door of the White House slammed firmly shut, with Obama refusing to meet him.

The White House had been infuriated by Netanyahu’s decision to appear in Congress at Republicans’ invitation and urge US lawmakers to vote against a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program.

Obama views the deal as a signature achievement that will close down Tehran’s pathway to getting a bomb.

Make amends

The Israeli leader publicly and stridently opposed a deal, describing it as a “stunning, historic mistake.”

He will try to make amends in part by addressing the Center for American Progress, a Washington think-tank with close ties to the White House and the Democratic Party.

Israel could still be a help or hindrance to Obama in keeping the deal on track, ratcheting up domestic pressure on the White House should Iran stall or falter on implementation.

Some commentators have called for Israel and the United States to set up a formal joint implementation mechanism, a move that would infuriate Tehran. Al Arabiya


Share this article

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

WhatsApp WhatsApp us
Wait a sec, saving restore vars.