RAMALLAH: The United States has refused to give Israel the security aid package for the past few months out of concern that Israel would use it to attack nuclear facilities in Iran, a report said yesterday.
The Israeli daily Haaretz said that the security package included a large number of “bunker-buster” bombs, permission to use an air corridor to Iran, an advanced technological system and refueling planes.
According to the report, officials from both countries have been discussing the Israeli requests over the past few months. Their rejection would make it very difficult for Israel to attack Iran, if such a decision is made, Haaretz said.
About a month ago, Haaretz reported that the Bush administration had turned down an Israeli request for certain security items that could upgrade Israel’s capability to attack Iran. The US administration reportedly saw the request as a sign preparations were moving ahead for an Israeli attack on Iran.
Haaretz quoted diplomatic and security sources as saying that Israel requested Bunker-buster GBU-28 bombs. In 2005, the US said it was supplying these bombs to Israel. In August 2006, The New York Times reported that the US had expedited the dispatch of additional bombs at the height of the July 2006 War on Lebanon. The bombs, which weigh 2.2 tons each, can penetrate six meters of reinforced concrete. Israel appears to have asked for a relatively large number of additional bunker-busters, and was turned down.
According to Haaretz, an attack on Iran would apparently require passage through Iraqi airspace. For this to occur, an air corridor would be needed that Israeli fighter jets could cross without being targeted by American planes or anti-aircraft missiles. The Americans also turned down this request. According to one account, to avoid the issue, the Americans told the Israelis to ask Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki for permission, along the lines of “If you want, coordinate with him.”
The Israeli requests were discussed during President George W. Bush’s visit to Israel in May, as well as during Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s visit to Washington in July.
