On July 25, a US State Department spokesperson emphasized that the special relations between the US and Israel will not be harmed and this week’s developments in Israel will not affect the military aid. "This is not going to happen…There is not going to be any cut or stoppage of military aid, and that is because our commitment to Israel and our commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad. Our decades-long partnership with Israel is ironclad,” he said.
The spokesperson’s remarks on the issue are in the context of from a recent discussion in the American media on whether the military aid the United States transfers to Israel ($3.8 billion per year, as part of a 10-year agreement signed in 2018) must be reconsidered. In this context, noteworthy is an op-ed in the New York Times regarding whether the US administration should re-examine the underlying logic of the aid given to Israel. Even if the op-ed contends that this is not a measure to punish or weaken Israel but rather an understanding that aid to a powerful country wastes resources and creates a relationship that is not healthy for both countries, it is impossible to remove the debate from the current crisis in the relations between the Israeli government and the Biden administration. Former US ambassadors to Israel Dan Kurtzer and Martin Indyk, who were interviewed for the article, stated that in their view, relations between the countries would be better if they were not based on economic dependence. They argue that the Israeli economy is strong enough, and does not need help. Kurtzer also emphasized that this aid does not give the US any leverage or influence on Israeli military decisions. "We sit by quietly while Israel pursues policies we oppose, [and] we are seen as ‘enablers’ of Israel’s occupation."
US lawmakers among the extreme progressive camp in the Democratic Party demand that the administration make aid to Israel conditional on a changed policy on the Palestinian issue. The impression is that the administration is sincere in its commitment to Israel's security; yet again, President Biden rejected demands to condition the aid on Israeli policy. That said, the administration's disappointment with the conduct of the Israeli government, as was also emphasized in the White House announcement immediately after the legislation on the reasonableness standard was passed, may indicate that if the crisis continues or worsens, even from the point of view of this friendly administration, Israel’s special relations won’t last forever – in particular if the pressure increases on the administration to adopt a policy that exacts a solid price from Israel. Moreover, and regardless of the current difficulties, Israel must quickly formulate a policy in preparation for the upcoming discussions on the next aid agreement.
On July 25, a US State Department spokesperson emphasized that the special relations between the US and Israel will not be harmed and this week’s developments in Israel will not affect the military aid. "This is not going to happen…There is not going to be any cut or stoppage of military aid, and that is because our commitment to Israel and our commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad. Our decades-long partnership with Israel is ironclad,” he said.
The spokesperson’s remarks on the issue are in the context of from a recent discussion in the American media on whether the military aid the United States transfers to Israel ($3.8 billion per year, as part of a 10-year agreement signed in 2018) must be reconsidered. In this context, noteworthy is an op-ed in the New York Times regarding whether the US administration should re-examine the underlying logic of the aid given to Israel. Even if the op-ed contends that this is not a measure to punish or weaken Israel but rather an understanding that aid to a powerful country wastes resources and creates a relationship that is not healthy for both countries, it is impossible to remove the debate from the current crisis in the relations between the Israeli government and the Biden administration. Former US ambassadors to Israel Dan Kurtzer and Martin Indyk, who were interviewed for the article, stated that in their view, relations between the countries would be better if they were not based on economic dependence. They argue that the Israeli economy is strong enough, and does not need help. Kurtzer also emphasized that this aid does not give the US any leverage or influence on Israeli military decisions. "We sit by quietly while Israel pursues policies we oppose, [and] we are seen as ‘enablers’ of Israel’s occupation."
US lawmakers among the extreme progressive camp in the Democratic Party demand that the administration make aid to Israel conditional on a changed policy on the Palestinian issue. The impression is that the administration is sincere in its commitment to Israel's security; yet again, President Biden rejected demands to condition the aid on Israeli policy. That said, the administration's disappointment with the conduct of the Israeli government, as was also emphasized in the White House announcement immediately after the legislation on the reasonableness standard was passed, may indicate that if the crisis continues or worsens, even from the point of view of this friendly administration, Israel’s special relations won’t last forever – in particular if the pressure increases on the administration to adopt a policy that exacts a solid price from Israel. Moreover, and regardless of the current difficulties, Israel must quickly formulate a policy in preparation for the upcoming discussions on the next aid agreement.