The Bush administration has made official a massive increase in military aid to Israel. On Thursday, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns signed an agreement to provide more than $30 billion in weapons over 10 years.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns: “To say how pleased we are that the United States can make this long-term investment in Israel’s security of a $30 billion figure of defense assistance over 10 years, that’s a major contribution of American assistance, and we do it first and foremost because the United States has an abiding interest in the security of Israel.”

The deal increases annual U.S. military aid to Israel by 25 percent, or $600 million per year. The boost is part of a multi-billion-dollar military aid package to U.S. allies in the Middle East, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. In Gaza, Hamas leader Sami Abu-Zuhri said the military deals were a blow to peace prospects in the Middle East.

Sami Abu-Zuhri: “This is an expression of the U.S. support of the Israeli occupation, and this shows the U.S. policy in the region. It gives big support to Israel, but on the other hand it gives nonsense promises to our Palestinian, Arab and Islamic nations.”