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Israel said that in a recent test, a laser defense system knocked UAVs, mortars and rockets out of the sky. (Credit: Israeli Ministry of Defense)

TEL AVIV: When US President Joe Biden visits Jerusalem next month, he will be met with both a new face as prime minister and a request for a special budget to help Israel complete the development of laser weapons that will work in parallel to the operational air defense systems like Iron Dome and David’s Sling.

The United States annually provides $3.3 billion to Israel in Foreign Military Financing (FMF), including $500 million for cooperative programs for missile defense. The new request is aimed at adding funds to that portion of the FMF pool; defense sources here say Israel will ask for around $300 million in extra funds.

Two Israeli companies, Rafael and Elbit Systems, are developing laser systems for the interception of rockets and drones, but more money is needed to complete the development. According to the visit plan shared by MoD sources, Biden is currently scheduled to stop by an Israeli air force base, where the prototypes of the laser systems will be displayed.

The funding request for laser capabilities, which has been sought by Israel for some time, are not tied directly into a recently-announced regional air defense network, although it is possible that if such a system is made operational, it would be exported down the line.

The request, as well as Israel’s military priorities writ large, is still expected to be on the table despite the outbreak of political chaos from Monday’s announcement by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that he would be dissolving the government and stepping down. By the time Biden arrives, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will be serving as prime minister, with an election looming in the background of the discussions. (Also looming: former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is trying to form an alternative government before the Knesset is dissolved that would deliver him back to power.)

The common feeling among Israeli politicians and experts is that whoever greets Biden at Ben Gurion airport will not impact the national security priorities that will be discussed. (In a statement to NPR, the US embassy in Israel said, “Our working assumption is still that the trip will go forward as planned.”)

“The relations between the U.S and Israel are solid,” a senior defense source told Breaking Defense. “The issues that will be on the table during the visit are of utmost importance to both the US and Israel. I’m confident that the talks will be fruitful for both sides.”

Added Giora Eiland, a retired Maj. Gen. and former head of the Israeli National Security Council, “The interests of both countries are symmetrical in the main issues like Iran and Gulf, so it is simply not relevant who is the Israeli prime minister that will discuss the issues with Biden.”

Saudi Nuclear Concerns

Another issue the Israelis are expected to discuss with Biden during his visit are ongoing efforts by Saudi Arabia to achieve nuclear power.

The Saudis are promoting a project to build a nuclear reactor to produce energy and recently announced that the main candidates for winning the project are a company from Russia, a company from China alongside a company from South Korea. American company Westinghouse was excluded from the competition, and that has raised concern in Washington.

When he visits Riyadh, Biden is expected by Israel to raise the issue, as Washington does not want companies from its two biggest rivals to win such a sensitive project with its Gulf partner. Israel shares the same concerns, but Israeli government sources say that the Saudis are unhappy with two US demands for working with the American company: a Saudi commitment not to enrich uranium in its territory and a signing of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Israel’s concern, according to defense sources here, is that a Saudi nuclear program would transform into a military nuclear program, setting off a regional arms race with Tehran as an Iranian nuclear deal seems to be on the outs, something backed up by outside experts.

A report prepared last year by the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) by researchers Yoel Guzansky and Tomer Barak notes that “Saudi Arabia’s interest in the nuclear realm is not new, nor is the concern that under certain circumstances and conditions, Riyadh could pursue a military nuclear course. Senior leaders in the kingdom have referred to the issue on more than one occasion and have stated that the kingdom will acquire nuclear capability if Iran does so and that the kingdom seeks control over all of the components of the nuclear fuel cycle ”

Uzi Eilam, the former director of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, told Breaking Defense that Washington would be happy if an American company is selected to build the Saudi nuclear plant

“The American preference is clear and has a solid reason — with an American company involved the regulations dictated by the international atomic energy agency will be fulfilled in full,” Eilam said.