Cutting US military aid to Israel was once an impossible dream of the most extreme fringe of the Democratic party. Today axing the $3.8 billion annual package is a bipartisan issue being spearheaded by the GOP.
The number of free US tax dollars that Israel would receive to spend on its military under a GOP plan being discussed by both governments would be reduced to zero. The brainchild of Marlin Stutzman, a staunch Israel ally and Republican congressman from Indiana, the proposed memorandum of understanding, which would come into effect when the current deal ends in 2028, now forms the basis of the negotiations and was endorsed by Benjamin Netanyahu.
While the new arrangement might choke off US grants, some analysts believe that Israel could receive the same if not more via new Pentagon contracts. US intelligence officials are working on a deal that would deepen cooperation between Israel and the US military to develop weapons and technology. The new arrangement might be quieter but not smaller than the current $3.8 billion annual aid, experts say.
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Francis Pike
