US may cut funding for 'Israel' in the future: The Hill
4 Min Read
Reports suggest that the future of US aid to "Israel" is far from certain and Democrats are concerned that their public support for "Israel" will make them vulnerable in the next election.
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Members of the US military carry the flags of "Israel" and the United States before the arrival of former Israeli Minister of Security Avigdor Lieberman in Washington on April 26, 2018. (AFP)
Every ten years, Republican and Democratic administrations, with the support of Congress, sign a memorandum of understanding to aid Israeli security, while also financially strengthening the American defense industry by requiring that all money spent stay in the United States.
In a report by The Hill, the writer suggests that even President Obama's animosity toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not prevent him from offering "Israel" "the single largest pledge of bilateral military assistance in US history."
As one of many examples of how "Israel" and America assist one another, they are currently collaborating to develop a hypersonic anti-missile defense system. However, the future of American foreign aid to the Israeli occupation is far from certain, according to The Hill. A confluence of factors will make any future administration's seemingly automatic renewal of financial support for "Israel" a more difficult proposition.
The current memorandum expires in 2028, just two years before the sunset provisions of the dormant Iran nuclear deal. The timing is critical because the Biden administration still hasn't rejoined the deal, which it left in 2019.
The State Department has not denied that the administration’s point man for this, Robert Malley, “met with Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in New York, at least three times in the last two months," signaling that talks are still underway to revive the deal.
Congress challenges US aid to "Israel"
The US Congress has recently challenged US aid to "Israel." Rep. Thomas Massie voted against Iron Dome funding with anti-"Israel" progressives, saying, "My position of no foreign aid may sound extreme to some, but I think it's extreme to bankrupt our country and put future generations of Americans in debt to our creditors."
Another sign of growing Republican isolationism is the growing number of Republicans opposing additional aid to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the rise of anti-Israeli progressive Democrats means that any future funding for the occupation state will almost certainly be challenged.
Read next: Rep Omar removed from Foreign Affairs Panel over 'anti-Semitism'
That said, many mainstream Democrats are also concerned that their public support for "Israel" will make them vulnerable to a progressive primary challenge in the next election.
Rep. Betty McCollum introduced legislation in 2021 to condition aid to "Israel," one of several recent bills allegedly aiming to limit the Israeli treatment of Palestinians. However, some progressives, including Reps. Grace Meng and Ritchie Torres, condemned the withholding of Iron Dome funding that same year.
An interdependent duo
"It is no secret that the future of the [US-'Israel'] relationship is increasingly dependent on the next generations, and this is where we face an enormous challenge," Israeli President Isaac Herzog recently said.
According to The Hill, "Israel" could survive without American military assistance, but it would put a strain on the Israeli economy. And it would harm America's military readiness, which has come to rely on Israeli innovations to protect US troops and provide tactical advantages.
Read next: US aircraft deal with "Israel" worth $2 billion
"Israel" is expected to invest more than $200 million in the development of the Glide Phase Hypersonic Missile Interceptor in 2023. According to The Hill, those who argue that American aid is a one-way street frequently ignore the fact that Israeli military technology benefits American national security.
Are Americans in favor of foreign aid?
In general, foreign aid is considered unpopular with the American people. "Opinion polls consistently report that Americans believe foreign aid is in the range of 25% of the federal budget," according to the Brookings Institution. When asked how much it should be, they say roughly 10%.
That said, at $39.2 billion in 2019, foreign assistance accounts for less than 1% of the federal budget. "While America is the world's largest provider of foreign assistance in terms of dollars," it ranks near the bottom of the OECD countries when spending is compared to GDP.
Read next: The US Is Running Out of Money, Literally (Part II)
According to The Hill, long-range Israeli planners should consider the possibility of future reductions in American aid.
