Navigating the complexities of international aid can be challenging, especially when understanding the financial support the United States provides to Israel. At HOW.EDU.VN, our team of experts helps you understand the economic and military assistance from the U.S. to Israel, offering clarity on its implications and conditions, including geopolitical dynamics, legal restrictions, and the ongoing debates surrounding U.S. support. Learn about U.S. financial assistance to Israel, the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, and the qualitative military edge (QME).
1. What Is the Total Amount of U.S. Aid Given to Israel Historically?
Since its founding, Israel has received approximately $310 billion in cumulative U.S. foreign aid, adjusted for inflation. This makes Israel the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid since World War II. While the United States provides considerable economic assistance to Middle Eastern countries, especially Egypt and Iraq, Israel remains a standout beneficiary. This substantial financial commitment reflects the long-standing strategic alliance and shared interests between the two nations, but is it too much?
2. How Is U.S. Aid to Israel Distributed Today?
From 1971 to 2007, the United States provided Israel with significant economic aid; however, today, almost all U.S. aid supports Israel’s military, which is among the most advanced in the region. The United States has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to provide Israel $3.8 billion per year through 2028. The MOU ensures that Israel receives consistent funding to maintain its military capabilities.
3. What Aid Has the U.S. Provided Since the Start of the Israel-Hamas War?
Since October 7, 2023, at least $12.5 billion in direct military aid has been enacted through legislation. This figure includes $3.8 billion from a bill in March 2024, which aligns with the current MOU, and $8.7 billion from a supplemental appropriations act in April 2024. Brown University analysts reported that Israel received $17.9 billion in U.S. military aid during this period, including the cost to the U.S. Defense Department of replenishing the weapons provided to Israel.
4. How Does Israel Utilize U.S. Financial Aid?
Approximately $3.3 billion annually is provided as grants under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. These funds mandate Israel to purchase U.S. military equipment and services. As of October 2023, Israel had nearly six hundred active FMF cases, totaling around $24 billion. Historically, Israel could use a portion of its FMF aid to buy equipment from Israeli defense firms, but this domestic procurement is being phased out. U.S. aid accounts for about 15 percent of Israel’s defense budget. Additionally, Israel procures U.S. military products outside the FMF program, like many other countries.
Another $500 million annually supports Israeli and joint U.S.-Israeli missile defense programs. The two countries collaborate on researching, developing, and producing systems like Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow II. The United States has been a production partner for Iron Dome since 2014.
5. Are There Conditions or Restrictions Attached to U.S. Military Aid to Israel?
Yes, there are several conditions and restrictions attached to U.S. military aid to Israel, ensuring compliance with U.S. and international law.
Congressional Oversight
Transfers of U.S. military equipment are subject to congressional review. The president must notify Congress before selling major weapon systems valued above a certain threshold. For Israel, this threshold ranges from $25 million to $300 million, triggering a fifteen-day congressional review. Congress can block a sale through a joint resolution, though this has never occurred. The president can bypass the congressional review in a national security emergency, a process President Biden has used for both Israel and Ukraine.
Leahy Law
The Leahy Law prohibits the United States from providing security assistance to foreign governments or groups that commit gross human rights violations. In February 2023, the Biden administration announced it would not provide arms to recipients likely to commit serious human rights violations. Some critics argue that the United States has not applied the Leahy Law to Israel as rigorously as it has with other Middle Eastern countries.
Terms of Use
U.S. military aid must be used according to agreed-upon terms and conditions, with the U.S. government monitoring the end-use of the equipment. For example, the Reagan administration banned transfers of cluster munitions to Israel in the 1980s after determining they were used on civilian targets during the invasion of Lebanon. Israel has agreed to use U.S. weapons only in self-defense.
National Security Memorandum
In February 2024, President Biden issued a national security memo requiring recipients of U.S. military aid to provide written assurances that they would observe international law in their use of the aid and facilitate the delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance.
Follow-Up Reports and Pauses
In May 2024, the administration issued a follow-up report that found it “reasonable to assess” that Israel had used U.S. weapons in instances inconsistent with its International Humanitarian Law (IHL) obligations. Subsequently, the White House paused a shipment of large bombs to Israel ahead of an assault on Rafah, Gaza.
6. What Is Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME)?
Qualitative Military Edge (QME) is a cornerstone of U.S. military aid to Israel. Formally enshrined in U.S. law in 2008, QME ensures that Israel can “defeat any credible conventional military threat from any individual state or possible coalition of states or from non-state actors, while sustaining minimal damage and casualties.” The law mandates that U.S. arms sales to other Middle Eastern countries do not compromise Israel’s QME. This often requires the United States to provide Israel with offsetting weaponry as part of larger regional arms sales. QME ensures Israel is the first in the region to access the most sophisticated U.S. military weapons and platforms, such as the F-35 stealth fighter.
7. Why Is U.S. Aid to Israel Under Increased Scrutiny?
Public scrutiny of U.S. aid to Israel has grown due to the high civilian death toll in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis. While Israel initially received widespread support after the Hamas attack on October 7, pro-Israel sentiment has weakened among some groups. A March 2024 poll by the Pew Research Center indicated that most Americans (64 percent) hold favorable views of the Israeli people, while a slight majority (51 percent) view the Israeli government unfavorably. Concerns have been raised by U.S. and foreign leaders, the United Nations, human rights groups, and others about Israel’s air and ground assaults on Gaza and its alleged obstruction of humanitarian aid.
Israel asserts that the high civilian death toll results from Hamas using civilians as human shields. In December 2023, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide, which both Israel and the United States denounced. In May, the International Criminal Court (ICC) charged both Hamas and Israeli leaders with war crimes and crimes against humanity. Polls suggest that Americans are divided on U.S. military aid to Israel, with the strongest support among older respondents and the weakest among younger adults.
8. What Are the Strains in the U.S.-Israel Relationship?
Despite being a strong supporter, the Biden administration has criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war and postwar planning for Gaza. In December 2023, Biden warned that Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” risked losing international support. Some lawmakers have sought to condition U.S. military aid or block sales. In early 2024, the Biden administration paused a shipment of bombs to Israel, acknowledging that American-made weapons were used in a manner resulting in civilian deaths and potential violations of the laws of war.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized Netanyahu’s lack of postwar planning for Gaza, warning of a potential insurgency or a vacuum filled by chaos. Netanyahu also faced criticism from his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for failing to form a vision for a governing alternative in Gaza. The Biden administration rallied behind the Israeli government after ICC investigators applied for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over alleged war crimes.
9. What Is the U.S. Military Presence in the Middle East?
The Biden administration has expanded the U.S. military presence in the Middle East to protect U.S. installations and ships and to help defend Israel. U.S. forces assisted Israel in neutralizing Iranian missile and drone attacks in April and October 2024 and have been protecting merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden against Houthi attacks.
10. What Were the Strains in the U.S.-Israel Relationship Before the War?
Before the war, the U.S.-Israel relationship faced strains due to the rhetoric and policies of Netanyahu’s government, including plans to curb the Israeli Supreme Court’s powers and the approval of more Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Critics argue that these settlements violate international law and undermine prospects for a future Palestinian state. The two-state solution has been a long-running U.S. foreign policy goal.
11. Should U.S. Aid to Israel Be Reevaluated?
Some U.S. and Israeli analysts suggest reevaluating U.S. aid to Israel, arguing that Israel is now a wealthy country capable of providing for its own security. They contend that U.S. aid distorts the bilateral relationship and the countries’ foreign policies. CFR Senior Fellow Steven A. Cook proposed phasing out U.S. military aid over ten years, replacing it with bilateral agreements on security cooperation. Former U.S. ambassador to Israel Martin S. Indyk also called for reductions in U.S. aid, stating that the U.S.-Israel relationship would be healthier without this dependence. Some experts argue that U.S. aid weakens Israel’s defense industrial base while serving primarily as a guaranteed revenue stream for U.S. defense contractors.
12. What Are the Arguments for Continuing U.S. Aid to Israel?
Supporters of continued aid argue that it fosters collaboration between U.S. and Israeli defense industries and experts, helping counter shared threats, particularly Iran. They assert that U.S. aid is a vital and cost-effective expenditure that enhances U.S. national security. Ending U.S. military aid would signal to Israel’s enemies that its greatest friend is stepping away, encouraging more assaults on the Jewish state.
13. How Does U.S. Aid Impact Israel’s Defense Industry?
Some experts argue that U.S. aid can weaken Israel’s defense industrial base by making it overly reliant on U.S. military equipment. This dependency may stifle innovation and the development of indigenous defense technologies. By primarily purchasing from U.S. defense contractors, Israel might miss opportunities to bolster its own economy and technological advancements in the defense sector.
On the other hand, supporters of the aid emphasize that it facilitates ongoing collaboration between U.S. and Israeli defense industries, fostering joint research, development, and production of advanced military systems. This cooperation enhances both countries’ capabilities to counter shared threats in the Middle East, such as Iran.
14. What Are the Potential Alternatives to U.S. Aid to Israel?
Several alternatives to U.S. aid to Israel have been proposed, including:
- Bilateral Security Agreements: Replacing direct financial aid with formal security agreements that outline mutual defense obligations and cooperation on security matters.
- Joint Research and Development Initiatives: Focusing on joint projects that promote technological innovation and capability enhancement for both countries.
- Phased Reduction of Aid: Gradually decreasing the amount of direct financial assistance while increasing cooperation in other areas, such as intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism efforts.
- Economic Cooperation: Strengthening economic ties through trade agreements and investment initiatives that foster mutual growth and reduce Israel’s reliance on direct aid.
15. How Does U.S. Aid to Israel Compare to Aid to Other Countries?
U.S. aid to Israel is unique in its scale and nature compared to aid provided to other countries. While nations like Egypt and Jordan also receive substantial U.S. assistance, the level of military aid provided to Israel, combined with the QME requirement, sets it apart. The consistency and volume of aid reflect the strategic importance the U.S. places on its relationship with Israel and its commitment to ensuring Israel’s security in a volatile region.
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