In the immediate aftermath of the fourth and deadliest terrorist attack in Israel earlier this month, President Clinton sent the Jewish state the most sophisticated anti-terrorism tools in the American arsenal.
Now he’s asked Congress to pay for it.
Israeli and American officials have crafted a $100 million counterterrorism package that includes bomb detection equipment, the most advanced sensor machines – like the kind found in airports – border-detection devices and the training to use them.
The equipment already sent cost about $22 million.
Congress was expected to approve $50 million for the package this week as part of the latest stopgap spending measure that would prevent a partial federal government shutdown.
Clinton has proposed saying for the remaining $50 million as part of next year’s budget, which was unveiled this week.
Although the United States will spend most of the money on anti-terrorist equipment and training, some funds and possibly additional money could be spent to erect a border between Palestinian-controlled areas and Israel.
The border plan to separate Israelis and Palestinians has gained momentum in Israel since the latest wave of attacks.
American officials and their Israeli counterparts have toured the border areas, and Israeli officials have reportedly prepared a wish list that includes ground-based radar systems, night vision equipment, armored personnel carriers and two helicopters equipped to monitor the border in the dark.
As Israel continues to grapple with the prospect of erecting a fixed border, American officials have not ruled out additional aid, U.S. and Israeli officials say.
But both caution that Israel has not yet decided exactly what is needed.
U.S. officials hope that Congress’ quick approval of the first half of the payment for the package would send a strong signal to Israel and Arab states in advance of the follow-up meeting to last week’s “Summit of the Peacemakers” in Egypt.
Foreign ministers and their deputies are scheduled to come to the State Department on March 28 for a “working-group” meeting to attempt to formulate a coordinated plan to combat terrorism and keep the peace process on track.
Israeli and American officials reportedly were negotiating for some of the equipment before the recent spate of terrorist attacks. One of the sticking points was about who would get the bill for it.
The attacks rendered that point moot as Clinton agreed to find American funds for the package as part of a concerted effort to help Israel in its war against the Islamic fundamentalist movement Hamas.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
