IsraelHagel reassures Israel, discusses large arms deal

Published 22 April 2013

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Israel Sunday for his first visit in the country as secretary of defense. Some elements in the pro-Israel lobby in the United States campaigned against Hagel’s nomination, and Hagel went out of his way to assure Israelis that his position on Israel is not what it was portrayed to be. One of the main reasons for Hagel’s visit is to discuss a major U.S. arms deal that would offer Israel missiles for its fighter aircraft – but also plus KC-135 refueling planes which could be used in a long-range strike on a country such as Iran. Until now, the United States refused to sell refueling tankers to Israel.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel arrived in Israel Sunday for his first visit in the country as secretary of defense.

Some conservative elements in the pro-Israel lobby in the United States campaigned against Hagel’s nomination, and Hagel went out of his way to assure Israelis that his position on Israel is not what it was portrayed to be.

Yahoo News reports that in an interview on his flight from Washington, Hagel said the United States and Israel see “exactly the same” threat from Iran, which he described as a toxic combination of nuclear ambition and support for terrorism.

Hagel emphasized several times that Israel has a sovereign right to decide for itself whether it must attack Iran. He did not refer to the possibility that an Israeli attack would draw the U.S. into the conflict and lead to a wider regional war.

Israel will make the decision that Israel must make to protect itself, to defend itself,” Hagel said.

Hagel said that while Israel and the U.S. share a commitment to ensuring that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon, there “may well be some differences” between the two allies on the question of when Iran’s leaders might decide to go for a bomb.

When you back down into the specifics of the timing of when and if Iran decides to pursue a nuclear weapon, there may well be some differences,” he said.

Hagel’s began his visit with a guided tour of the Yad Vashem Holocaust history museum. “There is no more poignant, more touching, more effective way to tell the story than this reality, as painful as it is, but it is a reality,” he said after his visit. “It did happen, and we must prepare our future generations … for a clear understanding that we must never allow this to happen again.”

One of the main reasons for Hagel’s visit is to discuss a major U.S. arms deal that would offer Israel missiles for its fighter aircraft – but also plus KC-135 refueling planes which could be used in a long-range strike on a country such as Iran. Until now, the United States refused to sell refueling tankers to Israel.

Israel will also receive Israel V-22 Osprey transport planes. He called the proposed sale a “very clear signal” to Iran.

The bottom line is, Iran is a threat — a real threat,” he said.

The main reason for the large arms deal is a long-term strengthening of Israel’s military capabilities – but not only vis-à-vis Iran. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are part of a $10 billion proposed U.S. arms sale — the UAE would get about 26 F-16 fighters and it and Saudi Arabia would get advanced air-launched missiles. The administration did not make a secret of its view that the United States needed to help Israel balance the growing military capabilities of the oil-rich Arab countries.