Israel’s minister of finance told the US national security advisor: Don’t forget we support you over Iraq.
Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone with US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice last night about the loan guarantees Israel is requesting from the US. Rice called Netanyahu and told him that the US administration had taken no decision as yet on the aid package Israel is requesting.
Netanyahu told Rice that “Israel’s economic situation is extremely difficult.” He pointed out that Israel was supporting the US over its position on Iraq, and said he expected the US to give expression to this.
Israel has asked the US for an aid package totaling $12 billion, $8 billion in the form of loan guarantees, and $4 billion as a grant towards security expenditure. From recent reports in the US media, it a[pears that the administration seeks to cut the aid package by 50%, with the largest percentage cut coming in the security grant.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on March 10, 2003