Pentagon reassures Israel over military aid despite budget cuts

 

Pentagon, United States (4E) – New Pentagon Chief Chuck Hagel on Tuesday assured Israel that the cuts in the U.S. budget would not affect Washington’s funding for rocket and missile defense programs to the Jewish state.

Hagel’s assurance came during his two-hour meeting with visiting Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak in Washington.

U.S. military’s top officer General Martin Dempsey and Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren also attended the meeting.

“Secretary Hagel expressed his strong commitment to Israel’s security, including maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge and continued US support for missile and rocket defence systems in spite of fiscal constraints,” Pentagon spokesman George Little said in a statement.

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