WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement after the signing of a new U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on military assistance on September 14:

“I congratulate the Obama Administration for finalizing a new, enhanced Memorandum of Understanding on military assistance with our vital ally, Israel,” said Senator Coons. “The agreement, the largest U.S. aid package ever, will include $38 billion in assistance to Israel over a decade.  It includes $5 billion in missile defense funding – the first multi-year missile defense commitment in U.S. history – which will allow Israel to both modernize its military and conduct long-term planning to counter rising threats to its security.  The MOU signed today represents the continuation of America’s seven-decade, unshakeable, bipartisan commitment to Israel’s security.

“In the months and years to come, Congress must remain clear-eyed about regional threats as we work with Israel to vigorously enforce the nuclear deal with Iran and push back against Iranian subversion in the Middle East. The Iranian government continues to propagate anti-Semitism and call for the destruction of Israel. It continues to build its military arsenal, conduct illegal ballistic missile tests, and support terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah that directly threaten Israel’s security.  It continues to prop up the murderous Assad regime, prolonging the Syrian civil war, and creating power vacuums that have led to the rise of extremist groups like the so-called Islamic State.

“The MOU will help secure Israel in the midst of regional instability. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I look forward to supporting and implementing the new MOU and to working with Israel to confront the threats it faces and ensure its security for the next decade and beyond.”