U.S.-Israel Strategic Cooperation
War Reserve Stockpile Ammunition-Israel
The Untied States government has maintained stockpiles of munitions and war supplies in both NATO and non-NATO countries around the world for use by the U.S. army in the event of armed conflict. The military maintains a sizeable stockpile of supplies in Israel, nominally for use by the U.S. military in the event of military action in the region. However, Israel, with approval from Congress, can access the reserve, which they have twice in history.
In 1980, Israel sought to strengthen the U.S.-Israel military bond by inviting the U.S. military to store weapons and material in Israel for U.S. use. In 1990, the U.S. government moved $100 million in resources to six locations in Israel to establish the War Reserve Stockpile Ammunition-Israel. The value of the stockpile - which includes missiles, armored vehicles, medical supplies, and small arms munitions- increased steadily to $800 million by 2010. In 2010, Congress passed P.L. 111-266, the Security
Cooperation Act of 2010, which gave the President the authority to move additional munitions to the stockpile, which will increase the value of the stockpile to $1.2 billion.
While the stockpile is typically reserved for American use, Israel has twice been given access to its supplies: in 2006, the IDF was allowed to rearm some of their units with American arms for the Lebanon war; and on the 22nd day of Operation Protective Edge, Congress voted to allow the IDF to restock on 40mm grenades and 120mm mortar rounds for the ground operation in Gaza.
Sources: Sharp, Jeremy M.. "U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel." The Congressional Research Service : 15.Journalistsresource.org. Web. 1 Aug. 2014; "U.S. Gives Israel More Grenades and Mortar Rounds for Gaza Offensive." Newsweek 30 July 2014: n. pag. Print. |