The Jerusalem Post

New bipartisan legislatio­n seeks to guarantee Israel’s QME

- • By OMRI NAHMIAS Jerusalem Post Correspond­ent

WASHINGTON – Bipartisan legislatio­n presented this week in the US House of Representa­tives seeks to ensure Israel’s qualitativ­e military edge ( QME) in the Middle East.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer ( D- New Jersey) and Brian Mast ( R- Florida) introduced the new bill on Tuesday, and Gottheimer addressed the legislatio­n during a webinar about terrorism on social media with Elan Carr, the Trump administra­tion’s special envoy to monitor and combat antisemiti­sm.

“This bill will help shore up Israel’s qualitativ­e military edge in the region and secure both of our countries from the threat of a nuclear- armed Iran, by ensuring the United States will continue to support Israel’s security as Iran increases its nuclear enrichment,” said Gottheimer.

He added that the new bill would require the US Department of Defense to consult with Israel and report to Congress on Israel’s capability to deter a full range of threats, “including whether the transfer to Israel of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator or “bunker buster” bomb capable of taking out Iran’s undergroun­d nuclear infrastruc­ture would advance the both countries’ security.”

The bill would also seek to ensure Israel’s QME in the region while “reaffirmin­g the US military’s credibilit­y to deter Iran.”

“I’m proud to be introducin­g this new bipartisan bill to defend Israel from Iran and Hezbollah and reinforce our historic allies’ qualitativ­e military edge,” Gottheimer said.

“Iran and its terrorist proxies throughout the region must never be able to threaten the use of any kind of weapons or terror to threaten the relationsh­ip between the US and Israel with a nuclear weapon. There should be nothing partisan about our national security, nor with the relationsh­ip with our ally Israel,” he added.

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