July 26, 2012

WASHINGTON — President Obama will sign a bill to strengthen security cooperation between the United States and Israel.

Obama will sign the Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012 on Friday, said Tommy Vietor, the spokesman for the National Security Council.

“The bill deepens our security cooperation with Israel by expanding our military assistance and providing Israel with access to additional equipment,” Vietor said.

The act, which underwent its final vote in Congress last week, would enhance defense cooperation, joint exercises and joint anti-missile defense systems, as well as add congressional oversight to ensure that Israel maintains a qualitative military edge in the Middle East. It also would direct additional U.S. materiel for storage in Israel; such materiel is available to Israel in case of a war.

Obama will enact the measure on the eve of the arrival in Israel of Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Romney has sought to portray Obama as aloof from Israel.

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