Obama approves $225 million in Iron Dome funding
Defense system has intercepted hundreds of rockets fired by Hamas toward residential neighborhoods in past month
August 5, 2014, 1:35 am
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President
Barack Obama signs "H.J. Res. 76," a bill that provides an additional
$225 million in US taxpayer dollars for Israel's Iron Dome missile
defense system, in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug. 4,
2014, in Washington. (photo credit: AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
WASHINGTON — President Barack
Obama signed a bill granting an additional $225 million in funding for
Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.
The
defense system has been highly effective in the current round of
violence between Israel and Hamas, intercepting hundreds of rockets
headed toward major population centers in Israel. Israeli officials say
it has a success rate as high as 90 percent.
The US has provided hundreds of millions of
dollars for Iron Dome in the past. The new package is intended to
replenish Israel’s capabilities.
Congress approved the money last week before
lawmakers left for their annual summer break. Obama signed the bill late
Monday in the Oval Office with a handful of photographers present.
During a marathon session devoted largely to
passing immigration legislation, the House of Representatives had voted
late Friday night by a landslide majority to provide the funding.
“Israel is our friend and Israel’s enemies are
our enemies,” House Speaker John Boeher tweeted shortly after the
measure passed its final legislative hurdle by a vote of 395-8. Four
Republicans and four Democrats voted against the funding, and an
additional 29 did not vote.
No debate was held on the bill, which had passed the Senate earlier Friday with unanimous consent.
An
Iron Dome Missile Defense battery set up near the southern Israeli town
of Ashdod fires an intercepting missile on July 16, 2014 (photo credit:
Miriam Alster/Flash90)
Israel requested the additional $225 million
for the partially US-funded project, which is credited with saving
dozens, possibly hundreds, of lives. The Iron Dome has intercepted
hundreds of rockets during Operation Protective Edge, but is notable for
its high operating costs which have heretofore largely been covered by
the US.
After Israel requested more aid for the missile defense system, the Department of Defense approved the request.
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) said shortly after
the resolution’s passage that the additional funding “is crucial to the
defense of Israeli citizens from Hamas terrorism” as well as “a
testament to the United States’ long standing and deep friendship with
Israel.”
Iron Dome intercepts over the course of Operation Protective Edge have likely cost Israel tens of millions of dollars.
For much of the past week, it seemed as though the additional funding would be tied up in partisan bickering, but on Friday, senators agreed to support a standalone bill that did not tie the funding to other budgetary allocations.
A number of organizations which had pushed
Congress to approve the additional funding before it left for a
month-long recess greeted the bill’s passage with enthusiasm.
The American Jewish Committee expressed
“heartfelt appreciation to the United States Congress for approving
additional funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.”
“Iron Dome has been a genuine life-saver for
Israelis enduring round-the- clock barrages of Hamas rockets and
missiles from Gaza,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris in a
statement late Friday evening. “Thankfully, Congress, in the spirit of
its long support for the U.S.-Israel relationship, recognizes the
essence of the ruthless Hamas threat to Israelis of all ages. And
Israel’s experience with this system will also no doubt prove invaluable
to the U.S. and other democratic countries that may face the threat of
violence from both state and non-state actors.”
Shortly after the resolution’s passage, AIPAC
circulated an email to supporters suggesting that they launch a letter
writing campaign to thank members of Congress individually for their
support of Iron Dome.
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