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Obama, Netanyahu may agree defense deal in Washington next month, envoy says
Source: Reuters
World | Thu Feb 11, 2016 2:30pm EST
Obama, Netanyahu may agree defense deal in Washington next month, envoy says
JERUSALEM | BY DAN WILLIAMS
U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might meet in Washington next month and complete a deal on future defense aid to Israel that has been dogged by disagreement, the U.S. ambassador to Israel said on Thursday.
Current U.S. defense aid to Israel, worth about $3 billion annually, expire in 2018. Disputes over the value of a so-called Memorandum of Understanding setting out grants over the ensuing decade prompted Israel to signal this week it might wait for the next U.S. president in hope of better terms.
"We are now trying to consolidate a deal on the coming 10 years – what military aid we will give – a very complicated effort, which takes into account both Israel's security needs and the budgetary limitations of the United States," U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro told Israel's Channel 2 television.
"But I am optimistic that we will consolidate this agreement,” he said, adding that he saw "a chance" of it being clinched in an Obama-Netanyahu meeting in Washington next month, though he noted the schedules of the leaders have yet to be set.
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Obama, Netanyahu may agree defense deal in Washington next month, envoy says
JERUSALEM | BY DAN WILLIAMS
U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might meet in Washington next month and complete a deal on future defense aid to Israel that has been dogged by disagreement, the U.S. ambassador to Israel said on Thursday.
Current U.S. defense aid to Israel, worth about $3 billion annually, expire in 2018. Disputes over the value of a so-called Memorandum of Understanding setting out grants over the ensuing decade prompted Israel to signal this week it might wait for the next U.S. president in hope of better terms.
"We are now trying to consolidate a deal on the coming 10 years – what military aid we will give – a very complicated effort, which takes into account both Israel's security needs and the budgetary limitations of the United States," U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro told Israel's Channel 2 television.
"But I am optimistic that we will consolidate this agreement,” he said, adding that he saw "a chance" of it being clinched in an Obama-Netanyahu meeting in Washington next month, though he noted the schedules of the leaders have yet to be set.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-usa-defence-idUSKCN0VK29M
