Israel reportedly asked the US Congress for more than $300 million for the country's missile defense programs. Photo: Matanya via Wikimedia Commons.

Times of Israel – Israeli officials have reportedly asked the US Congress to add more than $300 million for the country’s missile defense programs in the fiscal year beginning October 1. The extra funds would be added to the $158 million proposed by the Pentagon in US President Barack Obama’s budget request and would be earmarked for production of the joint defense systems David’s Sling and Arrow III.

According to a report in Bloomberg Friday, Israel turned directly to Congress, bypassing the White House and the Pentagon this time given the current spat between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and the Obama administration over Netanyahu’s speech to congressional lawmakers on March 3, where he seeks to prevent what he considers a bad nuclear deal with Iran currently being negotiated by the US-led P5+1 world powers.

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