US giving Israel another $28m.
to fight terror

Jerusalem Post,
January 08, 2002
By Janine Zacharia

WASHINGTON (January 08, 2002 ) - The US is giving Israel an extra $28 million to purchase counterterrorism equipment, primarily robots that perform controlled explosions on suspected bombs, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

The money was found in the 2001 Pentagon budget. It is currently being transferred to the State Department, from which it will be awarded to Israel.

US officials indicated the funds would be given to Israel soon.

Internal Security Minister Uzi Landau raised the request with American officials during his July visit here.

Israel has nearly depleted its reservoir of robots over the past 15 months.

"The Israelis suffered a horrendous amount of bombings over the past several months," one American official said. "The US has helped out with some equipment to save lives in the past. Much of that equipment has been damaged or destroyed, so a request was made to see if we could come up with the money to replace the damaged equipment and we did."

In addition to robots and associated parts, some of the money will be spent on sophisticated X-ray equipment to examine suspect containers and trucks.

Under the terms of the allotment, Israel must spend the money in the US.

Israel and the US have pledged repeatedly since September 11 to work together on counter-terrorism initiatives. The new money is in addition to the roughly $2 billion annual military assistance and $720m. economic aid.