Obama mistakenly promises Israel $70 billion, not million, or did he

Obama mistakenly promises Israel $70 billion, not million, for anti-missile program

During a televised Oval Office statement on Friday morning, President Barack Obama mistakenly said that the U.S. would be giving Israel $70 billion for an anti-missile program.

A seated Obama announced the increased foreign aid, accompanied by several standing members of Congress who he thanked for “shepherding through this bi-partisan piece of legislation that underscores our unshakable commitment to Israel.” too bad they did not have that for the millions and millions of homeless and Unemployed Americans. 

“As many of you know,” he said, “I have made it a top priority for my administration to deepen cooperation with Israel across the whole spectrum of security issues, intelligence, military, technology, and in many ways what this legislation does is bring together all the outstanding cooperation that we have seen really at an unprecedented level between our two countries that underscore our unshakable committment to Israel’s security.”

To that effect, Obama shared, “I’m also very pleased that this week we are going to be able to announce $70 million in additional spending — $70 billion, excuse me, in additional spending for ‘Iron Dome.’ This is a program that has been critical in terms of providing security and safety for Israeli families. It is a program that has been tested, and has prevented missile strikes inside of Israel.”

The reason that Obama was apparently unfamiliar with the amount of the increase in foreign aid is not clear his handlers say and many reports coming in say he is not coming clean on how much money really gets sent to Israel .

Reuters reported in May: “Obama’s fiscal 2013 budget request calls for $3.1 billion in security assistance to Israel, part of a 10-year, $30 billion U.S. commitment, none of which was scheduled to fund Iron Dome.”

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said then, after meeting with Israeli officials, that $70 million would be provided this fiscal year for “Iron Dome.”