The United States offered Israel on Thursday an unprecedented $30-billion US military aid package, bolstering its closest Mideast ally.
The aid deal represents a 25 per cent rise in U.S. military aid to Israel, from a current $2.4 billion US a year to $3 billion US a year over 10 years.
Nicholas Burns, the U.S. undersecretary of state for political affairs, and Israeli Foreign Minister Director-General Aharon Abramovitz signed the memorandum of understanding on the assistance at a ceremony in Jerusalem.
The package was meant in part to offset U.S. plans to offer Saudi Arabia advanced weapons and air systems that would greatly improve the Arab country's air force. Israel has said it has no opposition to the U.S. aid to Saudi Arabia, which comes as the United States strengthens moderate Arabs in facing the growing influence of Iran.
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