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VOLUME 17: 1998-1999
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83. Israel-U.S. Memorandum on Strategic Cooperation, 30 October 1998.
This was the first strategic cooperation agreement signed by the U.S. President and the Prime Minister of Israel. Previous agreements were signed at a ministerial level. The documents spell out the first formal American commitment to enhance Israel's deterrent capabilities in view of the "potential threat to Israel posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction." Text:
Memorandum of Agreement
In view of the long-standing relationship between the United States and Israel, and the long-term commitment by the United States to the maintenance of Israel's qualitative edge, and considering the developing regional threats emanating from the acquisition of ballistic missile capabilities and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the governments of the United States and Israel have decided to work jointly, consistent with their long-standing policies, toward the attainment of the following objectives:
Enhancing Israel's defensive and deterrent capabilities.
Upgrading the framework of the U.S.-Israel strategic and military relationships, as well as the technological cooperation between them.
The two governments will forthwith designate representatives to a joint strategic planning committee which will formulate specific recommendations on steps that can be implemented as quickly as possible to advance the foregoing objectives.
The United States government would view with particular gravity direct threats to Israel's security arising from the regional deployment of ballistic missiles of intermediate range or greater. In the event of such a threat, the United States government would consult promptly with the Government of Israel with respect to what support, diplomatic or otherwise, or assistance, it can lend to Israel.
The Memorandum of Agreement has been done in duplicate in the English language at Washington, D.C. and Jerusalem, and will enter into effect when each side has informed the other that it has signed the original. The two sides will exchange the signed original for completion of the signature process.
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