The U.S. Congress has granted Israel one billion dollars to develop additional “Iron Dome” missile interception systems. The budget of the US Ministry of Defense was $680 billion in 2010. U.S Member of Congress and Member of the House Appropriation Defense Subcommittee, Steve Rothman (Democratic Party) issued a statement declaring; “I am proud to announce that $947 million has been appropriated for the Iron Dome, David Sling and Arrow system for the coming year”.
Rothman added that these defense systems will give Israel’s leaders the ability “to root out terrorists and carefully plan their next move”.
He further stated that President Obama and members of the Appropriations Subcommittee realize what he called the importance of advanced anti-missile technology “both to safeguard our citizens, and the troops of the Jewish State”.
His usage of the term “Jewish State” is controversial. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his extremist coalition partners, have asked the U.S to support Israel’s demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish State. The US has not officially requested the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish State, but a number of congress members, senators and officials, have stated their approval of such a demand.
The United States provides Israel with approximately $3.6 billion of annual aid. This figure does not included hundreds of millions of dollars collected by lobbies, and direct donations many of which are tax deductible.
The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) recognized Israel as a state and its right to exist before signing the first Oslo Peace Agreement in 1993. Israel was supposed to reciprocate and recognize the Palestinian right to statehood and independence, but such an official recognition has never been made.
Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has reiterated that the PLO has officially recognised the State of Israel and its right to exist despite Israel being established on 80% of historic Palestine.
He has also stated that Israel “can call itself whatever it wants” but the Palestinians will not recognize it as a “Jewish State”. Such recognition means dropping legitimate Palestinian rights, especially the Right of Return for the refugees, 50% of the Arab population of then Palestine, and their descendents who were uprooted from their villages and homeland mainly during the creation of Israel in 1948/9. It also poses a direct threat to the Israeli Arab population of about 1.5 million, descendents of the indigenous Arab population that remained in what becaise Israel.
