Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Washington Times
October 16, 2007
Pg. 14
Barak to link U.S. systems to Palestinian deal
By Dan Williams, Reuters News Agency
JERUSALEM — Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak heads to the United States this week to promote joint anti-missile projects that Israel considers a prerequisite for any future transfer of the West Bank to the Palestinians.
Mr. Barak’s talks in Washington will help set the stage for next month’s conference on Palestinian statehood, called by the Bush administration in the hope of containing Iranianbacked Hamas Islamists after their takeover of the Gaza Strip in June.
The Pentagon is a partner in Israel’s Arrow II, a system designed to intercept ballistic missiles like those deployed by Iran and Syria. Israeli and American engineers are working on a parallel project, David’s Sling, to tackle guerrilla rockets.
Israel has failed to stem crossborder rocket salvos from Gaza, which it abandoned in 2005 after 38 years of occupation. It fears a similar threat from the West Bank if troops depart.
Mr. Barak told Israeli press in August that there can be no significant pullout from the West Bank before anti-rocket systems are in place. Spokesman Ronen Moshe said Mr. Barak’s U.S. talks will cover “a range of strategic bilateral issues,” including missile defense.
While David’s Sling would fend off medium-range rockets like those fired by Hezbollah guerrillas during the 2006 Lebanon war, Israel is separately developing Iron Dome, a system meant to shoot down the short-range Palestinian rockets. Israel also has a number of U.S.supplied Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile batteries left over from the 2003 Iraq war.
David’s Sling and Iron Dome are at least two years from completion, Israeli security sources say. Once integrated, they “will provide protection from about 90 percent of all attempts to fire rockets at us,” Mr. Barak told Israeli lawmakers last week.
He said more work is needed on “long-range interception,” an apparent reference to Arrow, which Israel considers its main bulwark against Iranian longrange Shehab missiles should there be a U.S. or Israeli strike against Tehran’s nuclear facilities.
Arrow has passed several live tests and is operational in Israel. Uzi Rubin, one of the system’s inventors, said Mr. Barak and the Bush administration may discuss authorizing a major upgrade.
“There is talk of producing an Arrow III, which would have an expanded interception altitude. They want even greater deterrence,” Mr. Rubin said.
Mr. Barak is scheduled to meet today with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who has championed plans for an Eastern European missile shield over Russian objections.
While in Washington, Mr. Barak may also face questions over Israel’s mysterious air strike on Syria last month. The New York Times reported that the Sept. 6 sortie targeted a planned nuclear reactor and that some U.S. officials objected to the timing because the project was potentially years from completion.
October 16, 2007
Pg. 14
Barak to link U.S. systems to Palestinian deal
By Dan Williams, Reuters News Agency
JERUSALEM — Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak heads to the United States this week to promote joint anti-missile projects that Israel considers a prerequisite for any future transfer of the West Bank to the Palestinians.
Mr. Barak’s talks in Washington will help set the stage for next month’s conference on Palestinian statehood, called by the Bush administration in the hope of containing Iranianbacked Hamas Islamists after their takeover of the Gaza Strip in June.
The Pentagon is a partner in Israel’s Arrow II, a system designed to intercept ballistic missiles like those deployed by Iran and Syria. Israeli and American engineers are working on a parallel project, David’s Sling, to tackle guerrilla rockets.
Israel has failed to stem crossborder rocket salvos from Gaza, which it abandoned in 2005 after 38 years of occupation. It fears a similar threat from the West Bank if troops depart.
Mr. Barak told Israeli press in August that there can be no significant pullout from the West Bank before anti-rocket systems are in place. Spokesman Ronen Moshe said Mr. Barak’s U.S. talks will cover “a range of strategic bilateral issues,” including missile defense.
While David’s Sling would fend off medium-range rockets like those fired by Hezbollah guerrillas during the 2006 Lebanon war, Israel is separately developing Iron Dome, a system meant to shoot down the short-range Palestinian rockets. Israel also has a number of U.S.supplied Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile batteries left over from the 2003 Iraq war.
David’s Sling and Iron Dome are at least two years from completion, Israeli security sources say. Once integrated, they “will provide protection from about 90 percent of all attempts to fire rockets at us,” Mr. Barak told Israeli lawmakers last week.
He said more work is needed on “long-range interception,” an apparent reference to Arrow, which Israel considers its main bulwark against Iranian longrange Shehab missiles should there be a U.S. or Israeli strike against Tehran’s nuclear facilities.
Arrow has passed several live tests and is operational in Israel. Uzi Rubin, one of the system’s inventors, said Mr. Barak and the Bush administration may discuss authorizing a major upgrade.
“There is talk of producing an Arrow III, which would have an expanded interception altitude. They want even greater deterrence,” Mr. Rubin said.
Mr. Barak is scheduled to meet today with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who has championed plans for an Eastern European missile shield over Russian objections.
While in Washington, Mr. Barak may also face questions over Israel’s mysterious air strike on Syria last month. The New York Times reported that the Sept. 6 sortie targeted a planned nuclear reactor and that some U.S. officials objected to the timing because the project was potentially years from completion.