U.S. to develop new anti-missile system for Israel

TEL AVIV — The United States has agreed to cooperate with a research and development program leading to a new missile defense systems with Israel.

A senior Israeli official said the systems would augment the current Arrow anti-missile program. Israel plans to deploy three Arrow batteries over the next three years.

Defense Ministry director-general Amos Yaron said the U.S. agreement came during talks last week with the Bush administration, Middle East Newsline reported. Yaron said Washington agreed to develop new systems meant to counter the ballistic missile and nonconventional threat being developed by Iran and Iraq.

"We discussed continued cooperation and our will to expand the basis set by the Arrow," Yaron said. "We discussed new systems. I have to say that the response was mostly positive and I expect a very good future in our relations with the Americans."

Yaron would not elaborate but said the issue would continue to be discussed over the next year. Israeli officials said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon urged Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to approve the launching of joint development of a system that could destroy enemy missile launchers.

Israeli officials want the administration to approve such a program, called post-launch intercept, before the end of fiscal 2001, when money for the Arrow program expires. Sharon reviewed his visit to the United States with ministers on Sunday.

"During his U.S. meetings, Prime Minister Sharon emphasized the dangers posed by the striving of radical elements in the region — mainly Iraq and Iran — to arm themselves with non-conventional weapons and ballistic missiles," a Cabinet statement said.

In an interview with Israel Radio, Yaron said the administration has pledged to stop Iran and Iraq from obtaining weapons of mass destruction. Both countries are said to be pursuing the development of nuclear weapons as well as intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

"This was the central focus of our future relations," Yaron said. The Israeli defense official said the United States is also concerned that the Lebanese Hizbullah has acquired rockets from Iran capable of reaching central Israel. This would mean that Hizbullah has obtained rockets with a range of 150 kilometers.

On Sunday, Hizbullah denied that it received such missiles. A Hizbullah spokesman said the Israeli assertion was meant to obtain additional aid from the United States.

Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammed Ali Sabhani, also denied that Teheran supplied such missiles.