Officials said Obama withheld the U.S. approval of JDAMs for more than
14 months. In April 2010, the first shipment of JDAMs arrived in Israel
under the
current U.S. administration, Middle East Newsline reported.
"They were only a fraction of the weapons that were approved," the
official said. "We need a lot more."
Officials said the JDAM arsenal of the Israel Air Force was
significantly reduced by the wars against Hizbullah and Hamas in 2006 and
2009, respectively. They said the Air Force was also seeking more powerful
general purpose air bombs from Washington.
In May 2010, Defense Minister Ehud Barak renewed Israel's request for
JDAMs in meetings with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other senior
administration officials. Barak also raised the JDAM issue with leaders of
the House and Senate.
"The administration has not said 'no,' but the fact is that we've been
waiting and waiting," the official said.
The Pentagon has explained delays in JDAM and other weapons deliveries
were due to the U.S. military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Pentagon has
pointed to complaints by Saudi Arabia of huge delays.
Barak has also sought to win a U.S. commitment to expand the
prepositioning of U.S. Army equipment in Israel. In early 2010, the
administration approved the doubling of the prepositioned equipment from
$400 million to $800 million. So far, the stockpile has increased to $600
million.
Under the latest Israeli request, the expansion would reach $1.2 billion
in prepositioned U.S. military equipment, including JDAMs and other weapons.
Under an agreement with Washington, Israel would be allowed to use the U.S.
stockpiles during war.