US May Cover Israel's War Costs

Ryan R. Jones - All Headline News Middle East Correspondent
Sep. 01, 2006

Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - A senior Bush administration official said Wednesday that if asked, the US is likely to grant Israel additional military aid to cover the costs of its recent war against Hezbollah.

The unnamed diplomat told The Jerusalem Post that "a request has not yet come," but if it does, "we would consider it seriously."

According to Israeli officials cited by the report, Jerusalem is hoping to fold its aid request into a larger American financial package aimed at helping to rebuild war-torn southern Lebanon.

The US official went on to say that Washington viewed Israel as the military victor in the recent conflict, but noted the Jewish state had lost from political standpoint.

"The people in Lebanon did not understand" Israel's need to attack certain civilian infrastructures, he said, "and that allowed Hezbollah to say Israel was punishing them," which "damaged Israel politically."

He suggested Israel begin to fix its image by initiating peace talks with Lebanon.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, however, announced on Wednesday that his nation would be the last in the Arab world to make peace with the Jewish state.