Israel is moving to shore up its military independence from the United States
On Tuesday, Israel’s Defense Ministry announced that defense supplier Elbit Systems has been handed a $275 million contract that is “crucial for enhancing the IDF’s operational endurance and force build-up capabilities.”
“The new facility will feature advanced production lines for energetic materials that Israel’s defense industry uses. It is expected to strengthen domestic manufacturing independence and reduce reliance on imported raw materials,” the statement reads.
The deal represents one of Israel’s largest steps toward military manufacturing independence since the start of the war. Under the new agreement Elbit will produce thousands of heavy air munitions for the Israeli Air Force, the Times of Israel reports.
However, it comes at a strange time after Axios confirmed whispers that the Biden administration has quietly moved to greenlight a massive arms package to Israel. Floated to Congress through back channels, the $8 billion deal would deliver crucial munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters, along with artillery shells.
Still, Israel isn’t taking chances.
Political analysts suggest Israel isn’t interested anymore in being so heavily dependent on the US after the Biden Administration threatened them just a few months ago.
On October 13th, senior American officials penned a memorandum to Israeli leaders setting out a request with a 30-day deadline, insisting that Jerusalem take steps to increase the flow of aid to the Gaza Strip, to reduce the use of mass evacuation orders in Gaza, and to reduce the isolation of the northern Gaza Strip, where IDF forces are currently operating to crush a Hamas insurgency.
A month later, the State Department announced that while Israel had not, in the administration’s determination, fulfilled all 15 of the demands issued in the memo, the U.S. has not “assessed that there that the Israelis are in violation of US law.”
Israel made a similar move last year after Biden threatened a “red line” against America’s greatest ally. The Defense Ministry placed an order for 20,000 Israeli-made M4A1 rifles which are similar to M16s, completely using at least 51% locally sourced components.
Originally Published in Jewish Breaking News