[News] US approves $1bn funding for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system

[Anti-Imperialist News]

https://qudsnen.co/us-approves-1bn-funding-for-israels-iron-dome-defense-system/US
approves $1bn funding for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system The bill also
includes separate section that is intended to promote the US-Israel
relationship and normalization agreements between ‘Israel’ and four Arab
countries
An Iron Dome missile defense system fires an interceptor at a target during
an exercise in early 2021. ( Credit: Israeli War Ministry)

March 13, 2022

Washington (QNN)- The US Senate approved on Wednesday $1 billion in
supplemental funding for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.

The Senate included the funding in a $1.5 trillion Omnibus Appropriations
Agreement, scrambling to avert a government shutdown.

The 2,741-page agreement also gave ‘Israel’ $3.8bn in annual defence
assistance in keeping with a 10 year Memorandum of Understanding between
the two allies.

The legislation was announced by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

In addition, the bill includes a separate section that is intended to
promote the US-Israel relationship.

It is also intended to back the normalization agreements between ‘Israel’
and four Arab countries, brokered by the Trump administration.

In total, US defence-related spending would increase by $42bn or 5.6
percent to $782bn, compared to last year.

Last September, a handful of progressive House Democrats objected to a
provision that would include the $1bn in Iron Dome funding in the
government funding bill.

Those Democrats accused ‘Israel’ of human rights abuses against
Palestinians.

They successfully <https://qudsnen.co/?p=29564> stopped the money from
being included within the stopgap funding bill.

However, the House approved <https://qudsnen.co/?p=29651&amp> a stand-alone
bill to provide ‘Israel’ with $1bn for replenishing the anti-missile system.

The vote passed with an overwhelming majority, with 420 members voting in
favour and only nine against.

At the time, several lawmakers and progressive groups criticised the
stand-alone
bill <https://qudsnen.co/?p=29645&amp>.

‘Israel’ has been using the Iron Dome to intercept projectiles.

According to the Israeli occupation government, during the most recent
escalation with Hamas last May, it had a roughly 90 percent interception
rate.

Over 250 Palestinians in Gaza were killed in the Israeli air strikes in
that May, including 66 children, 39 women, and 17 elderly people.

More than 1,900 were also wounded, including 380 children, 540 women, and
91 elderly.

As of November 2020, the US had provided $1.6 billion to ‘Israel’ for Iron
Dome batteries, interceptors, co-production costs and general maintenance,
according to Congressional Research Service.
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