Israel wants up to $5bn in annual military aid

Israel has made an initial request for its annual US defense aid to increase to as much as $5 billion when its current aid package, worth an average $3 billion a year, expires in 2017, a US congressional sources said.

Israel wants $5 billion per year in military aid for 10 years, for a total of $50 billion, The Jerusalem Post reported, quoting congressional aides.

It has been signaling that it wants more money to counter threats it says will arise as a result of the international agreement on Iran's nuclear program, which Israel's government has staunchly opposed.

Congressional and other US officials cautioned that negotiations on the new aid deal were still in the early stages and the proposal is not yet at the stage where it has been formally brought to Congress, which must approve the funds.

"First they have to negotiate with the White House," one senior congressional aide said of Israel.

Source: MENA