The Pentagon has also barred countries that opposed the Iraq war from tenders for rebuilding the country.
Israel is not included on the list of countries eligible to participate in tenders for contracts in the rehabilitation of Iraq. The list was published by US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. It seems that Israel's exclusion was intended to avoid criticism of the US administration from the Arab world, which in any case does not recognize the legitimacy of the US occupation of Iraq.
Cooperation between Israel and the occupying forces in Iraq will remain cloaked in secrecy, and will mainly be restricted to security. The Pentagon is not allowing countries that failed to express support for the war in Iraq to take part in tenders worth a total of $18.6 billion for rehabilitation of the country.
This is arousing resentment in Europe. The German government has said that the US decision is unacceptable. EU sources said the legality of the decision was being examined.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on December 10, 2003