Israel’s Channel 2 has today reported that Israeli officials have accepted the most recent US military aid package, which will see them receiving some $38 billion over the next decade. Israeli officials are said to be eager to finalize it, and it is expected to be signed in the next few days.
This comes just a day after a report in the Washington Post claiming that the deal was being held up by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R – SC), who was planning to advance his own, slightly larger military aid bill through the Senate and accused Obama of trying to take over appropriations duties that are rightfully Congress’.
Graham says Benjamin Netanyahu warned him he was holding up the deal, and that he told Netanyahu to tell the Obama Administration “to go F themselves.” The White House was said to be reluctant to sign the deal with Graham so outraged by it.
Ultimately, this was resolved by Israel promising not to seek additional aid from Congress after signing the Obama deal, except for possibly during wartime, a concession that likely kills the Graham alternative deal, and is seen as Israel siding with the president against Congress.
Obama has been offering record deals to Israel for over a year, with Israel long demanding a little more and a little more. Ultimately, however, there was concern within Israel that extending negotiations beyond Obama’s last term in office risked politicizing Israeli military aid within the US.