Asia-Pacific

Obama OKs funding for Israel missile defense system

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-14 10:38
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WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has asked Congress to provide 205 million dollars to Israel for developing the Iron Dome missile defense system, said the White House on Thursday.

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"The president recognizes the threat missiles and rockets fired by Hamas and Hezbollah pose to Israelis, and has therefore decided to seek funding from Congress to support the production of Israel's short range rocket defense system called Iron Dome," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

The Iron Dome missile defense system, which is designed to intercept short-range rockets and to be developed by May, is facing an 800-million-Israeli-New-Shekel (about $205 million) budgetary shortage.

During the Israeli-Hezbollah military conflict in 2006, some 4,000 rockets were fired by Hezbollah into northern Israel, killing 44 civilians. While in the south, thousands of rockets and mortars have reportedly been fired by Hamas and other Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel since September 2001.
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