U.S. Halts Arms Sales to Israel

The U.S. State Department has blocked the transfer of armaments and technology to Israel for the past few months, Middle East Newsline reported late December 2006.

The “unofficial suspension of U.S. arms deliveries,” which has been ongoing since September, is a significant setback to the tiny Jewish nation (Arutz Sheva, Dec. 28, 2006). It says it needs the equipment to restock in preparation for a possible large-scale war, which might include an attack from Syria.

The U.S. State Department has also recently prevented the sale of purely defensive weapons to Israel. According to Arutz Sheva, U.S. company Northrop Grumman was blocked from providing Israel with details of its Skyguard laser weapon, which is designed to destroy incoming short-range rockets and missiles.

“Nobody will say openly that there is a problem,” one government source said. “But there is a serious problem that reflects the marginalization of Israel in U.S. strategy …” (ibid.).

Washington may be reducing support for Israel to appease Saudi Arabia, whose help it seeks in Iraq and which also supplies over 13 percent of America’s daily imported oil needs.

Although this halt in arms sales to Israel may not signify the immediate end of America’s support, trends certainly suggest that the U.S. will become an increasingly unreliable ally for Israel.

Zechariah 11:14 contains a prophecy that God would “break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.” This may well refer to a future break between America (part of biblical Israel) and the Jewish state (Judah). America turning its back on the Jews would leave them isolated and vulnerable. This may be the scenario that hastens half of Jerusalem being taken (Zechariah 14:2), which will lead to Israel’s downfall.