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Defense Minister Ehud Barak. (AP)
Last update - 16:16 14/10/2007
Barak heads to United States to promote Israeli rocket defense
By Reuters
Tags: Arrow, long-range rockets 

Defense Minister Ehud Barak will travel to the United States on Sunday night to promote joint anti-missile projects that Israel considers a prerequisite for any future handover of the West Bank to the Palestinians.

The Pentagon is partner in Israel's Arrow II, a system designed to intercept ballistic missiles of the kind deployed by Iran and Syria. Israeli and American engineers are also working on a parallel project,
David's Sling, to tackle guerrilla rockets.
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Barak told the media in August that any significant West Bank withdrawals would require anti-rocket systems first be in place. Spokesman Ronen Moshe said Barak's U.S. talks would 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, security sources say. Once integrated, they "will provide protection from about 90 percent of all attempts to fire rockets at us," Barak told lawmakers last week.

He said more work was needed on "long-range interception," an apparent reference to Arrow, which Israel considers its main bulwark against Iranian long-range Shehab missiles should there be a U.S. or Israeli strike against Tehran's nuclear facilities.

Arrow has passed several live tests with flying colors and is operational in Israel. Uzi Rubin, one of the system's inventors, said 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," Rubin told Reuters.

Barak is scheduled on Tuesday to meet U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who has championed plans for an Eastern European missile shield amid Russian objections.

While in Washington, Barak may also face questions the Israel Air Force strike on Syria last month. The New York Times reported that the September 6 attack targeted a planned nuclear reactor and that some U.S. officials objected to the timing as the project was potentially years away from completion.

Israel and Washington have been silent on the matter, and Syria denied pursuing nuclear weaponry
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  1.   Barak lobbies for money 16:44  |  Steve 14/10/07
  2.   Barak 17:12  |  Colonel Anthony Day 14/10/07
  3.   Barak why go for the David Sling when LASER System is Better 17:50  |  Gil 14/10/07
  4.   Response to Gil in Haifa 18:04  |  Mark B. 14/10/07
  5.   #3 Gil, re: WHY... 18:40  |  Mikle White 14/10/07
  6.   3 18:59  |  zionist forever 14/10/07
  7.   #1 Steve - Minneapolis 19:02  |  * BEN JABO 14/10/07
  8.   Barak Plan is Strategically Bankrupt 19:03  |  Daniel 14/10/07
  9.   To hand our land to our enemies, we need.... 19:21  |  Chaim 14/10/07
  10.   To Daniel #8 19:22  |  Tony Kraft 14/10/07
  11.   Book on photogaphy 19:35  |  Professor Nancy Will 14/10/07
  12.   Rocket Defence, YES - But with Preconditions 19:44  |  Double Click 14/10/07
  13.   No. 7 Jabbo 20:07  |  Steve 14/10/07
  14.   Here`s a totally revolutionary thought for Israel 20:08  |  Clickfool 14/10/07
  15.   Foolclick #12 20:18  |  Barry 14/10/07
  16.   To No. 14 in Sussex 20:21  |  A. J. Myers 14/10/07
  17.   Mikle White 20:21  |  Barry 14/10/07
  18.   Israel always finds a sucker to pick up the check 20:21  |  Natallie Durson 14/10/07
  19.   #14 Clikjerk 20:22  |  * BEN JABO 14/10/07
  20.   Crazyfool #14 20:26  |  Barry 14/10/07
  21.   read the Book of Genesis in the OT (Hebrew bible) 20:29  |  Habakuk 14/10/07
  22.   # 5 Mikkle White, re: Laser System 20:36  |  Gil 14/10/07
  23.   Barak heads to United States 20:48  |  Schlash 14/10/07
  24.   Clickfool 20:53  |  H 14/10/07
  25.   Rockets secondary, stable peace first priority 21:19  |  Dan Chazan 14/10/07
  26.   Missile defense 21:21  |  Semaj 14/10/07
  27.   For H # 24 21:28  |  Clickfool 14/10/07
  28.   #13 Steve - I`ll check into that-somewhere in my files 21:30  |  * BEN JABO 14/10/07
  29.   from LAND FOR PEACE... to LAND FOR SOME PROTECTION... 21:41  |  amir 14/10/07
  30.   Barak - Self-Described Genius About to Make More Grave Errors 21:50  |  Tod Zuckerman 14/10/07
  31.   More Drek-peddling from Barak - a supporter of Itnatkut & Oslo 00:10  |  Feiglin for PM 15/10/07
  32.   8 00:22  |  zionist forever 15/10/07
  33.   The Best anti-rocket system is Peace 00:35  |  Mike 15/10/07
  34.   # 18 Fatmah, don`t be an idiot.... 01:42  |  Misha 15/10/07
  35.   Anti-rocket systems are a fantasy, best defense is a good offense 02:20  |  Dr. L. Brnd 15/10/07
  36.   Barak heads to United States to promote Israeli rocket defense 03:56  |  S 15/10/07
  37.   Colonel Anthony Day # 2 04:02  |  Philippe 15/10/07
  38.   Uncle Sugar 04:07  |  Mark Lincoln 15/10/07
  39.   #1, Steve... 05:05  |  Silvienne 15/10/07
  40.   Clickfool # 14 06:41  |  Stephen 15/10/07
  41.   SYLVIENNE both countries are working on the anti missile program 07:28  |  PETER SM 15/10/07
  42.   #13 Steve-MN - Are you or aren`t you?? 15:48  |  * BEN JABO 15/10/07
  43.   #28 Steve - Minn I DID CHECK MY FILES 15:55  |  * BEN JABO 15/10/07
  44.   #42 Steve - Mn 16:45  |  * BEN JABO 15/10/07
  45.   Steven MN 23:29  |  * BEN JABO 15/10/07
  46.   #19 Clickfool speaks, and BEN`s knee jerks 04:20  |  Johnboy 16/10/07
  47.   I do love the logic Barak presents 04:37  |  Johnboy 16/10/07
  48.   #41, Peter SM 06:17  |  Silvienne 16/10/07
  49.   Johnboy...1956 & 1967 06:23  |  Silvienne 16/10/07
  50.   #47, Johnboy... 06:25  |  Silvienne 16/10/07
  51.   #48 Silvienne to Peter SM 17:07  |  * BEN JABO 16/10/07
  52.   #49 Silvienne - Part 1 of 2 1967 War 17:13  |  * BEN JABO 16/10/07
  53.   #49 Silvienne Part 2/2 1967 War 17:17  |  * BEN JABO 16/10/07
  54.   Silvienne - 1956 War 17:29  |  * BEN JABO 16/10/07
  55.   More antisemitic tsunamis are in store. 18:26  |  Fortuna Benmayor 16/10/07
  56.   Daniel # 8 and Tod # 30 are right. 18:30  |  Fortuna Benmayor 16/10/07
  57.   #51, Ben Jabo... 19:08  |  Silvienne 16/10/07
  58.   Ben Jabo, #52, #53, #54 19:18  |  Silvienne 16/10/07
  59.   #8, Daniel... 19:23  |  Silvienne 16/10/07
  60.   #57 Silvienne 22:15  |  * BEN JABO 16/10/07
  61.   Ben Jabo...yes, but it wasn`t just the hair... 01:29  |  Silvienne 17/10/07
  62.   The psychological need for shelter. 06:10  |  Fortuna Benmayor 17/10/07
  63.   #61 Silvienne 07:13  |  * BEN JABO 17/10/07
  64.   Upsidedown 05:15  |  Edward 19/02/08
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