Many enemies of Israel, including some in the United States Congress, see the U.S.-Israel relationship as one-sided. This is true of Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who, in interview with Steve Bannon earlier this month, stated, “I’m entering amendments to strike 500 million more dollars for nuclear-armed Israel. And it’s important to say nuclear-armed Israel, because they do have nuclear weapons. This is not a helpless country, and we already give them $3.4 billion every single year in the state — from the State Department. Three point four billion dollars every single year.”
The $500 million Rep. Greene is speaking of is for missile defense cooperation, and the U.S. Defense Department is a major beneficiary of Israeli research and development. As a result of the experience Israel has garnered from employing various missile defense systems — such as the Iron Dome, David Sling, and Arrow — the Pentagon has received valuable technological capability information, which has saved the U.S. millions — some even say billions — of dollars. President Trump has repeatedly called for a “Golden Dome for America,” which would utilize some of Israel’s missile defense research.
Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), the Somali Muslim native and member of the anti-Israel and anti-American “Squad,” posted on X, “The genocide of the people of Gaza continues as members of Congress vote to fund Israel’s defensive and offensive military capabilities. This is immoral and no amount of excuses will ever make it okay.”
Omar’s usage of the word “genocide” is not only outrageous, but a lie. Israel does not target civilians, but rather warns them to evacuate from combat zones. No other army, in the midst of war, has put itself at such a disadvantage in order to avoid hurting civilians. On the other hand, Hamas uses its civilians as human shields, hence the high casualty rates among Gazans. Omar, unlike her “Squad” colleague AOC (D-N.Y.), seeks to deny Israel funding for defensive arms, such as the Iron Dome.
Moreover, Omar ignores how the U.S. benefits from the $3.3 billion Israel receives in military aid, including supporting thousands of jobs for U.S. citizens. Alexander Haig, former secretary of State and U.S. Army general, notably remarked, “Israel is the largest American aircraft carrier in the world that cannot be sunk, does not carry even one American soldier, and is located in a critical region for American national security.”
Additionally, Israel provides the U.S. with valuable intelligence and, as “eyes and ears” in the Middle East, shares with the U.S. any anti-American moves by Israel’s neighbors and beyond. At the height of the Cold War, during the 1960s, Israel captured advanced Soviet Mig jets and turned them over to the U.S., which helped the U.S. Air Force combat North Vietnamese, Soviet, and Chinese Migs — and saved America lives.
U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) commander General Bantz J. Craddock stated on March 15, 2007 that Israel was America’s “closest ally” in the Middle East and that it “consistently and directly” supported U.S. interests. General George F. Keegan, a retired U.S. Air Force intelligence chief, disclosed in 1986 that the intelligence information he obtained from Israel was greater than what would have been possible had he had “five CIAs.”
Israel continues to help the U.S. deal with traditional security threats. The two countries share intelligence on terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern politics. Israel’s military experiences have shaped the U.S. approach to counterterrorism and homeland security.
Israel’s military research and development complex has pioneered many cutting-edge technologies that are transforming the face of modern war, including cyberweapons, unmanned vehicles (such as land robots and aerial drones), sensors and electronic warfare systems, and advanced defenses for military vehicles. It is difficult to quantify the value of Israeli assistance to the U.S., but it clearly reveals a relationship between two allies that is a “two-way street.”
Another example of shared knowledge is with Oketz, Israel’s specialized canine unit, which trains dogs to perform life-saving tasks for soldiers by alerting them to potential dangers that include explosives and weapon caches. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has trained American G.I. canine units on how to use dogs without a leash, which saved American lives in Iraq and Afghanistan from improvised explosive devices.
Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, and Google have research and development offices staffed by Israeli engineers and programmers whose technological innovations are helping the U.S. maintain its economic competitiveness, promote sustainable development, and address a range of non-military security challenges.
Israel’s contributions to the U.S. are not limited to the spheres of intelligence and military innovations. The U.S. has benefited from technologies such as drip irrigation technology and wastewater recycling, which the U.S. has provided to third-world countries, which has enhanced American prestige worldwide.
Countless American lives were saved during the 1991 Desert Storm campaign in Iraq because in 1981, Israel destroyed Saddam Hussein’s Osirak nuclear facility.
During the 2023 Republican presidential debate, Vivek Ramaswamy argued for reducing U.S. military aid for Israel. Nikki Haley, Republican former governor of South Carolina, responded to Ramaswamy by stating that he was “completely wrong”: “Support for Israel is both the morally right and strategically smart thing to do. Both countries are stronger and safer because of our ironclad friendship. As president, I will never abandon Israel.”
Although friendship between Israel and the U.S. is grounded in shared democratic values, the strategic component is key. The Jewish state is one of America’s best investments abroad. The relationship is a two-way street, with Israel giving as much as it gets from Washington.
Image via Pixabay.