AllVoices & Information Clearinghouse & Al-Akhbar & Reuters – 2012-12-14 01:07:51
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/13587497-us-to-sell-israel-munitions-worth-647-million
US to “Sell” Israel Munitions to Renew Stock
After ‘Operation Pillar of Defense’
StephenManual / AllVoices & Information Clearinghouse
(December 11, 2012) — Israel is one of the largest United States military and civil aid receivers. The US has been providing huge military funds to Israel, besides providing the country with sophisticated weapons and modern gadgets.
According to a latest deal, the United States is going to sell munitions worth $647 million to Israel in order to reinforce inventory of Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It may be pertinent to mention here that the IDF used massive bombings in Gaza Strip during the Operation Pillar of Defense. The IDF fought a weeklong war with Hamas that ultimately followed a peace deal between Israel and Palestinian Authority.
However, nitty-gritty of the cease-fire deal has yet to be formalized. Both Israel and Palestine claimed victory following the treaty that was announced by the Egyptian foreign minister in Cairo. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi played a vital role in cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian Authority.
Encouraged by the war with Israel, Palestinian Authority moved the United Nations General Assembly for up gradation of its status. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at the move and said it was against the truce signed by Israel and Hamas to bring peace and stability in the region.
During the weeklong war, the IDF carried out more than a thousand attacks in the Gaza Strip against strongholds and ammunition centers of Hamas. Apparently, to compensate the IDF, the US is replenishing weapons’ stock of Israel. Under the deal, the US is going to provide Israel with 10,000 bombs of numerous kinds.
The list includes
3,450 bombs weighing a ton each,
1,725 bombs weighing 250 kilograms each,
1,725 BLU-109 bunker-buster bombs and
3,450 GBU-39 bunker-buster bombs intended for fortified targets with minimal impact in order to prevent harm to innocent civilians.
The US Department of Defense has also notified Congress of the sale. The move will definitely start an arms race in the region and Israel’s neighbor, Iran will stand justified in her stance that the US has been providing munitions to Israel to fight with Muslim countries. Iran will also get an opportunity and justification to provide more arms and ammunitions to Hamas and Hezbollah. Both the outfits are heavily funded and supported by Iran and in fact these organizations have been waging a proxy war with Israel on behalf of Iran.
The United States and other world powers should understand the sensitivities of the region and refrain from the steps that can further put stability of the region at stake.
StephenManual is based in New York City, New York, United States of America, and is a Reporter for Allvoices.
Palestinians Aren’t Getting “One Cent,” Says Israel
Al-Akhbar & Reuters
(December 12, 2012) — Israel says Palestinians will not get tax revenues before at least March, after having already confiscated the Palestinian Authority’s December funds. The decision comes as part of Palestine’s “punishment” for last month’s United Nations bid.
“The Palestinians can forget about getting even one cent in the coming four months, and in four months’ time we will decide how to proceed,” Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a peremptory speech on Tuesday night.
Under the current peace deal, Israel collects US$100 million each month in duties on the PA’s behalf in occupied West Bank. These funds are generally used to pay public sector salaries.
Israel has responded viciously to the PA’s UN upgrade to non-member statehood, accusing the PA of sidestepping stalled negotiations, through a UN bid.
“Israel is not prepared to accept unilateral steps by the Palestinian side, and anyone who thinks they will achieve concessions and gains this way is wrong,” he said.
Before confiscating funds in December, Israel announced settlement plans in the E1 sensitive area that would destroy all possibility for a two-state solution, inciting international condemnation.
While making it clear that these steps are a form of retribution, an Israeli iron-fist response meant to instil fear in those that make decisions without permission “unilateral steps” – Israelis mentioned that Palestinians have debts to pay off with Israel Electric Corporation and the Israel Water Authority.
The European Union criticized Israel Monday, saying, “Contractual obligations ….regarding full, timely, predictable and transparent transfer of tax and custom revenues have to be respected.”
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Tuesday that Paris will host a donors’ conference early next year to raise funds for the government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
In accordance with Title 17 USC. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
