JERUSALEM [MENL] -- Israel has become increasingly concerned over the
growing strength of Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
A report asserted that Israel cannot ignore the growing military strength of
Cairo and Riyad. The two Arab countries were said to have been building
their forces with advanced U.S. platforms and technology.

"The last decade has seen a very sharp rise in military expenditures in
Egypt, beyond the amounts that poor country gets from the United States
annually," the report by the Jerusalem-based Institute for Contemporary
Affairs, said. "Up to now, Egypt has received more than $30 billion in
military aid from the United States. Israel has received slightly more in
the last 22 years, but we have had to spend much of it on war -- against
Palestinian terrorism, against Hizbullah in the north, against the Iraqis
who in 1991 struck Israel with Scud missiles, and other military campaigns
Israel was forced to conduct."

The report, entitled "The Growing Threat to Israel's Qualitative Military
Edge," was authored by Yuval Steinitz, chairman of the powerful Knesset
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Steinitz has long warned of Egypt's
U.S.-supplied military.

====

NOTE: The above is not the full item.
This service contains only a small portion of the information produced daily
by Middle East Newsline. For a subscription to the full service, please
contact Middle East Newsline at:
editor@menewsline.com for further details.