United States Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro explained, Thursday morning, clauses in the just-signed memorandum of understanding on US military aid to Israel which call for a phasing out of purchases from Israeli firms in favor of buying from US sources. The clauses were criticized by former opposition leader Shelley Yechmovich on the eve of the signing.
Interviewed by Israel Defense Forces Radio, Shapiro said one goal at the start of US aid was to help Israel's military industry to grow. He continued, "Now that it has advanced and is very successful in the international market, we thought that now is the time to begin, slowly, slowly, to lower the amount [of aid] that Israel uses to make acquisitions in Israel."