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U.S. Presidential Candidates and Military Aid to Israel

(BESA Center for Strategic Studies-Bar-Ilan University) Prof. Eytan Gilboa - Three leading Democratic presidential candidates recently said they would consider cuts in U.S. military aid as a means to pressure Jerusalem into changing its policy in the West Bank. These statements are completely out of touch with the realities of Palestinian-Israeli relations and developments in the Middle East. The candidates deliberately distort the nature of U.S. military aid to Israel. They ignore the Palestinians' repeated rejection of peace negotiations and peace proposals. They also ignore the unrelenting Palestinian campaign of delegitimization against Israel and the monthly payments to terrorists convicted of murdering thousands of Israeli civilians. The term "aid" in the context of U.S.-Israeli defense relations is itself misleading. The more accurate term is "investment," as most of the funds are reinvested back into the U.S. economy as it goes to American defense manufacturers. In return for aid, Israel provides the U.S. military and defense industries with information about weapons effectiveness, develops innovative military technology like missile defense systems and border surveillance technology, and shares intelligence and battle-proven military doctrines. Despite serious disagreements between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu, in September 2016 they signed a memorandum of understanding committing $3.8 billion annually for military aid for the next 10 years, as Obama recognized the value of a long-term investment in U.S.-Israeli defense collaboration. The writer is director of the Center for International Communication at Bar-Ilan University and a senior research associate at its BESA Center.
2019-10-31 00:00:00
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