The controversy surrounding US aid to Israel and its impact on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to unfold. The Israeli government has sold treasury bonds worth $3 billion since October 7, 2023, with buyers from states, cities, and organizations in the United States purchasing them as an act of solidarity with Israel and to aid its economy. The recent war on Gaza has taken a toll on the Israeli economy, affecting sectors such as tech, commerce, and tourism. Intercepting Iranian projectiles during the conflict cost Israel 4.5 billion shekels ($1.3 billion) from its security budget [19cb7e24] [8d48fe5c].
The United States provides significant military support to Israel, including $38 billion in military aid over 10 years. This aid includes grants for military equipment and funding for missile defense systems. The US has also used its veto power in the UN Security Council to block resolutions critical of Israel and has consistently taken Israel's side in various international forums. However, there have been calls to condition US military funding to Israel in light of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza [ee43c354] [8d48fe5c].
According to a report from Investing.com, Israel has become the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign and military aid since its founding, receiving about $300 billion in total economic and military assistance. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) reported that Israel has privileged access to advanced US military platforms and technologies. The US military aid to Israel has faced criticism, particularly after Israel's attacks on Gaza in October 2023. Egypt is the second-largest recipient of US foreign aid, receiving $89 billion in military aid and $78 billion in economic aid. The US has been criticized for its military aid and arms sales to Israel, which have been used in attacks on Gaza. The US has made over 100 arms and ammunition sales to Israel since October 7, 2023, including tank ammunition, artillery shells, aircraft bombs, and rockets. The US has diverted munitions from its arsenal in Europe to Israel since October 7, with about 35,000 tons of weapons and ammunition transported to Israel. The US administration approved the sale of F-35s, aircraft engines, and unguided bombs to Israel, with a total value of around $18 billion [8d48fe5c].
The recent House of Representatives Israel aid bill, passed in a 366-58 vote, allocates $26.4 billion in aid to the region, including more than $9.1 billion marked as 'Migration and Refugee Assistance' and 'International Disaster Assistance' for humanitarian needs in the Gaza Strip. This amount is more than four times the size of the annual GDP in the Gaza Strip, which was about $2 billion last year. Critics argue that the aid essentially funds Hamas, as Hamas regularly seizes the aid. The bill includes oversight measures to prevent aid diversion by Hamas, but the fact that Hamas is the elected government of the Gaza Strip poses a significant challenge to oversight. Some Palestinian activists have also voiced concerns about Hamas stealing and reselling aid. Zionist Organization of America President Morton Klein and some Palestinian activists argue that the US is funding Hamas through this aid bill. Klein also criticizes the Biden administration for waiving sanctions on Iran, a major funder of Hamas, and allowing the country to generate money through oil sales [bd4f8386].
The controversy surrounding US aid to Israel has been further fueled by an opinion piece in The Daily Star, titled 'US aid to Israel: Twenty-three billion dollars to slaughter women and children.' The article criticizes the US for passing an aid package worth $23 billion to Israel on the same day that it was reported that around 23,000 women and children had been killed in Gaza. The author accuses the US of rewarding Israel for the deaths of innocent civilians and highlights the US's history of injecting false promises of a two-state solution to the Palestinians while vetoing Palestinian statehood in the United Nations. The author also criticizes US President Joe Biden for failing to live up to his promises to the Palestinians and participating in the genocide in Gaza. The article calls on the Muslim ummah to defend the Palestinian people and their sacred places and expresses the determination of the Palestinian people to fight for their rights and resist the oppressor [492afb37].
U.S. foreign aid has been a topic of debate, with various viewpoints on the subject. An article in the Statesville Record & Landmark titled 'Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?' provides an introduction to U.S. foreign aid. It mentions the Great Depression and the impact it had on the author's parents. The article also highlights the current debate in Congress regarding aid to Israel and Ukraine. It addresses common myths about foreign aid, such as the belief that America spends too much on it and that other countries don't pay their fair share. The article provides data on the amount of foreign aid given by the U.S. and lists the top recipients of U.S. foreign aid in 2021. It concludes by considering foreign aid as an investment in world peace and democracy [1774345d].
The United States has passed a foreign aid bill worth $95 billion to support Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and the rebuilding of war-devastated Gaza. The US has a debt of $34 trillion and a GDP of $25.44 trillion. The first major American financial aid was the Marshall Plan in 1947. The recent American foreign aid bill allocates $60.84 billion for Ukraine, $26.38 billion for Israel, and the rest for Taiwan. The breakdown of aid for Israel includes replenishing and expanding Israel's missile and rocket defense system, buying advanced weapons systems, enhancing weapons production, and humanitarian purposes. The breakdown of aid for Ukraine includes replenishing US weapons, funding the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, funding current US military operations in the region, and non-military assistance. The US aid bill for Ukraine may be in question if Trump returns to the White House after the November 2024 elections. The fragility of the American economy is reflected in its debt of $34 trillion and GDP of $25.44 trillion. The US needs to focus on bettering the economy, slashing defense expenditures, and mitigating domestic fault lines to salvage its global leadership. [c94ceb93].
The US is the biggest supplier of arms to Israel, accounting for 69% of Israel's imports of major conventional arms between 2019 and 2023. The US also provides Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military aid. Germany is the second-largest supplier, providing 30% of Israel's arms imports. The weapons used in the Gaza genocide are primarily sourced from the US and Germany. The Biden administration recently paused a shipment of weapons to Israel, possibly due to pressure from ongoing student protests and an upcoming report on Israel's use of US military aid. However, this does not indicate a shift in US policy towards Israel. The US has quietly approved and delivered over 100 separate foreign military sales to Israel since the Gaza war began in October 2023. These sales were often bypassed Congress and initiated in small transactions to avoid scrutiny. The US cannot wash its hands off the bloodshed in Palestine as it continues to provide the weapons enabling Israel's genocidal campaign against the Palestinians. [511cd0ff]
The United States has suspended a shipment of weapons to Israel, including heavy bombs used in its campaign against Hamas militants in Gaza. The suspension comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues a military assault on the Palestinian city of Rafah, over the objections of U.S. President Joe Biden. The blocked shipment consisted of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs, which were part of an earlier approved shipment to Israel. The U.S. is reviewing the security assistance in the context of unfolding events in Rafah and has concerns about the end-use of the bombs and their impact in dense urban settings. The decision was made last week, with Biden directly involved. Large bombs like the 2,000-pound bombs can cause extensive damage and have indiscriminate effects in densely populated areas. Israel denies targeting civilians and claims its sole interest is to annihilate Hamas while taking precautions to avoid unnecessary death. The legality of using such bombs in Gaza is a matter of debate, as international humanitarian law requires a proportionate military aim and prohibits targeting civilians. The International Criminal Court considers launching an attack with clearly excessive civilian death or damage as a war crime. [4cadabad]
United States President Joe Biden has announced a partial pause on weapon transfers to Israel, withholding at least one shipment of 3,500 bombs and artillery shells. This decision represents a shift from the longstanding support the US has offered Israel. Human Rights Watch has been advocating for the suspension of arms transfers to Israel and Palestinian armed groups due to the risk of grave abuses. Several Western allies, including Canada and Germany, have already revised their policies on supplying weapons to Israel. The International Court of Justice has allowed a legal challenge to Germany's military assistance to Israel to move forward. The US's shift in tone will add to the pressure on other countries to stop sending weapons to Israel [8f3fa656] [858a6d89].
The Biden administration suggests that Israel's use of U.S. weapons in Gaza likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete. The administration found 'reasonable' evidence that Israel breached international humanitarian law in its use of U.S.-provided weapons, but was unable to link specific U.S. weapons to individual attacks. The report comes after seven months of airstrikes, ground fighting, and aid restrictions that have resulted in the deaths of nearly 35,000 Palestinians. The report highlights the debate over humanitarian aid restrictions and political motives, fueling tensions between the U.S., Israel, and Congress [9c499c0f].
The US State Department has moved a $1 billion package of weapons aid for Israel into the congressional review process. President Joe Biden recently delayed a shipment of bombs to Israel over concerns they might be used for a major invasion of Rafah. Biden's support for Israel in its war against Hamas has become a political liability for him, particularly among young Democrats, as he runs for re-election this year [ebe34b99].
The Biden administration has informed key lawmakers that it will send over $1 billion in additional arms and ammunition to Israel. This comes after the administration had put a hold on another arms transfer of 3,500 bombs weighing up to 2,000 pounds each. The reason for the pause was the concern for civilian casualties in Gaza. It is not known when the new shipment of weapons will be delivered.
The Biden administration's recent decision to pause an arms sale to Israel highlights the political significance of arms sales as an instrument of US foreign policy. The US employs arms sales as a tool in its foreign policy, using them to develop political bonds with other countries and influence outcomes or fight proxy wars. However, there is a legal basis in international law for ending arms sales where a government arms purchaser targets noncombatants. US arms sales to foreign powers are big business, with US-based arms manufacturers generating a record $238 billion in 2023. These sales involve the US in foreign wars and link private profits with US foreign policy decisions. The US cannot directly control the uses to which the weapons it sells are put, and there is a concern that these weapons may be used to commit human rights abuses that violate international law. The article argues that foreign arms sales corrupt the political system and could potentially escalate conflicts to direct US involvement. [f667f9be]