Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., February 22, 2008 Adar1 16, 5768 | | Israel Time: 20:53 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (Daniel Bar On / Jini) Last update - 09:23 19/02/2008 MKs urge U.S. to spend more on missile, rocket defense system By Shahar Ilan Tags: Israel, U.S., Qassam, Sderot The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee urged a delegation of U.S. congressmen Monday to increase American funding for development of the Magic Wand system for defense against medium-range rockets and missiles. Committee members argued that this is of mutual interest, since American army bases in the Middle East and Afghanistan are as vulnerable to such rockets as Israeli towns are. T Advertisement he four senators and representatives, headed by Senate minority leader Jon Kyl (R-Arizona), arrived earlier this week for Congress's semiannual dialogue with the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. The Israeli team was headed by committee chair Tzachi Hanegbi (Kadima) and former committee chairman Yuval Steinitz (Likud), who founded the dialogue along with Kyl. The delegation also met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Mossad chief Meir Dagan, and also took a tour of Sderot. Much of the talks were devoted to the new U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, which asserted that Tehran had halted its nuclear weapons program. Kyl nevertheless insisted that there is "very little difference" between Israeli and American assessments of Iran. Both believe that it is pursuing nuclear weapons, he said; the main difference is in the projected timetable for their acquisition - and even there, he added, the differences are "very small." Kyl, a co-sponsor of the law that enabled the U.S. to impose sanctions on companies that trade with or invest in Iran, believes that such sanctions should be intensified and applied to more companies. Steinitz has used past dialogue sessions to complain about Egypt's failure to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza, resulting in a recent congressional decision to reduce American aid to Egypt by $100 million. Kyl said yesterday that Egypt "can do more" on this issue, and Democratic congresswoman Jane Harman agreed, arguing that Egypt could stop the arms before they even reached the tunnels under the border. Republican Senator Sam Brownback said he did not think Jerusalem should be discussed in Israeli-Palestinian talks, and urged the U.S. to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Related articles: Security cabinet okays funding for 'Iron Dome' rocket defense system Barak heads to United States to promote Israeli rocket defense Ballistic expert: Israel ignoring option of U.S. anti-rocket system Bookmark to del.icio.us   The black sheep The U.S. freezes Assad's cousin's assets for trying to weaken Iraq and Lebanon. Pristina, Ramallah Yasser Abed Rabbo called on the West Bank to declare independence like Kosovo.   1.   shahar han 04:09  |  george 19/02/08   2.   The reality of missile defense 05:14  |  Mark Lincoln 19/02/08   3.   Send Israel our best stuff...for use on Hezbollah:) 05:19  |  devin 19/02/08   4.   PROCURE ANTI-MISSILE TO THE MAX!!!!!!!!!!! 09:01  |  Ben Uziel 19/02/08   5.   Israel wants a Magic Wand 10:29  |  Clickfool 19/02/08   6.   Israel wants to spend more American money? 10:32  |  Silvienne 19/02/08   7.   For Silvienne #6 10:49  |  Clickfool 19/02/08   8.   #5 why shouldn`t Israel defend themselves 11:08  |  Donna 19/02/08   9.   Establish Policies to Transfer Arabs And Reenforce Borders Securi 11:23  |  Joseph . E 19/02/08   10.   The US is near bankruptcy 11:41  |  spyguy 19/02/08   11.   Israel on the frontlines against Militant Islam!!! 11:46  |  Ben Uziel 19/02/08   12.   For Ben Uziel # 10 13:33  |  Clickfool 19/02/08   13.   What happened to laser technology? 14:37  |  Mark 19/02/08   14.   #7, Clickfool... 05:21  |  Silvienne 21/02/08   15.   What a disgrace 18:29  |  Mr. Neumann 21/02/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: This November, I'm voting christian Responses: 46 Monopoly voting site drops country names after row over J'lem ownership Responses: 45 Ari Shavit: Time for Israel to show generosity toward Syria Responses: 34 Daniel Levy: Obama's change could be good for Israel Responses: 46 Iron Dome system found to be helpless against Qassams Responses: 131 McCain, a supporter of Israel with a 'Judeophile' brother Responses: 53 Rosner's Domain Obama has a mainstream Democratic team (WTR) Guests: Jewish women don't want to be shut out What America wants from an operation in Gaza U.S. victims of Palestinian terror await gov't stance on compensation Poll: Is it important to have an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of 2008? More Headlines 19:55 Nasrallah: We're preparing for war with Israel within months 19:34 IAEA: Iran not complying with nuclear program inspection 19:03 Hamas: We won't rule out any bid for cease-fire with Israel 18:06 Turkish army launches ground offensive into northern Iraq 14:59 McCain, a supporter of Israel with a 'Judeophile' brother 18:01 U.S. to announce new aid plan for West Bank, Gaza Strip 17:52 Iraqi Shiites rally against Danish reprint of Muhammad cartoon 14:52 Thousands show solidarity with Qassam-stricken Sderot 08:47 Iron Dome system found to be helpless against Qassams 14:58 Actor Will Smith receives damages over alleged praise for Hitler Previous Editions Select Day 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb

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