How much money did the U.S. send to Israel? Money-central.com clarifies that the United States has been a steadfast supporter of Israel, providing substantial financial assistance reflecting shared foreign policy interests and a commitment to Israel’s security. This financial support, primarily in military aid, helps Israel maintain its security and stability in a volatile region, impacting U.S. foreign aid distribution and global security assistance strategies.
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1. What Is the Total Amount of U.S. Aid Sent to Israel?
Since its founding, Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid, receiving approximately $310 billion (adjusted for inflation) in total economic and military assistance. This substantial financial commitment underscores the strategic alliance and shared interests between the United States and Israel.
1.1 Historical Overview of U.S. Financial Support to Israel
The U.S. financial backing of Israel began significantly after its establishment in 1948. Initially, this support included substantial economic assistance, particularly from 1971 to 2007. However, in recent decades, nearly all U.S. aid has been channeled towards bolstering Israel’s military capabilities, recognizing its role as the most advanced in the region. This shift reflects the evolving geopolitical landscape and the increasing focus on security cooperation.
U.S. Aid to Israel Over Time
1.2 Current Aid Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding
The United States and Israel have a standing memorandum of understanding (MOU) through 2028, committing the U.S. to provide $3.8 billion annually. This agreement ensures a predictable and sustained level of financial support, facilitating long-term military planning and procurement for Israel. The MOU underscores the U.S.’s commitment to Israel’s security and stability in a region marked by ongoing conflicts and geopolitical tensions.
1.3 Supplemental Aid Packages Since October 7, 2023
Since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023, the United States has approved significant additional military aid to Israel. Legislation has been enacted to provide at least $12.5 billion in direct military aid, incorporating $3.8 billion from a March 2024 bill (in line with the current MOU) and $8.7 billion from a supplemental appropriations act in April 2024. Some analysts, like those from Brown University, suggest the figure could be as high as $17.9 billion when factoring in the cost to the U.S. Defense Department for replenishing weapons provided to Israel.
This substantial increase in aid highlights the U.S.’s immediate response to the crisis and its ongoing commitment to ensuring Israel’s defense capabilities during heightened conflict.
2. How Is U.S. Aid Utilized by Israel?
Most of the annual aid, approximately $3.3 billion, is provided as grants under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program. Israel is obligated to use these funds to procure U.S. military equipment and services, enhancing its defense capabilities and ensuring interoperability with U.S. forces. The FMF program is a cornerstone of the U.S.-Israel security relationship, fostering technological cooperation and advancing mutual strategic interests.
2.1 The Foreign Military Financing (FMF) Program
The Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program is the primary mechanism through which the U.S. provides military aid to Israel. Under this program, Israel receives grants that must be used to purchase U.S. military equipment, services, and training. This arrangement not only supports Israel’s defense needs but also benefits U.S. defense contractors, stimulating economic growth and technological innovation within the U.S.
In October 2023, the Biden administration reported that Israel had nearly 600 active FMF cases, totaling around $24 billion, indicating the extensive and ongoing nature of this financial and military cooperation.
Active FMF Cases for Israel
2.2 Investment in Missile Defense Systems
A significant portion of U.S. aid, $500 million annually, is allocated to Israeli and joint U.S.-Israeli missile defense programs. This funding supports the research, development, and production of systems like the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow II. These systems are crucial for protecting Israel from rocket and missile attacks, and the collaboration enhances both countries’ technological capabilities.
The Iron Dome, initially developed solely by Israel, has benefited from U.S. partnership since 2014. U.S. military contractors, such as Raytheon, manufacture Tamir interceptor missiles for the Iron Dome at their facilities in Arizona, showcasing the interconnected nature of the defense industries in both nations.
2.3 Procurement from Israeli Defense Firms
Historically, Israel has been allowed to use a portion of its FMF aid to purchase equipment from Israeli defense firms, a unique benefit not extended to other recipients of U.S. military aid. This provision has supported the growth and innovation of Israel’s defense industry. However, this domestic procurement is being phased out, aligning Israel with other aid recipients and promoting greater reliance on U.S. military products.
3. Are There Conditions or Restrictions on U.S. Aid to Israel?
Yes, transfers of U.S. military equipment to Israel are subject to U.S. and international law. Congress reviews major weapon sales, and the Leahy Law prohibits aid to governments that commit gross human rights violations. While critics argue the Leahy Law isn’t always strictly applied to Israel, U.S. aid must be used according to agreed-upon terms.
3.1 Congressional Oversight and Review Processes
The U.S. Congress plays a vital role in overseeing and regulating military aid to foreign countries, including Israel. Before selling major weapon systems or services valued above a certain dollar threshold, the President must notify Congress. This notification triggers a review period during which lawmakers can assess the proposed sale.
For transactions involving Israel (and other close U.S. allies), the threshold for triggering a fifteen-day congressional review ranges from $25 million to $300 million, depending on the defense articles or services involved. Congress has the power to block a sale through a joint resolution, although this has never occurred. In cases of national security emergencies, the President can bypass the congressional review process, as President Biden has done for both Israel and Ukraine.
3.2 The Leahy Law and Human Rights Considerations
The Leahy Law is a critical provision that prevents the U.S. from providing security assistance to foreign governments or groups that commit gross human rights violations. This law reflects the U.S.’s commitment to promoting human rights globally and ensuring that its military aid does not contribute to abuses.
In February 2023, the Biden administration reinforced this commitment by announcing that it would not provide arms to recipients deemed likely to commit serious human rights violations. Despite these regulations, some legal scholars and critics have claimed that the U.S. has not applied the Leahy Law as strictly to Israel as it has to other Middle Eastern countries.
3.3 Adherence to Agreed-Upon Terms and Conditions
All U.S. military aid provided to recipients must be used in accordance with agreed-upon terms and conditions. The U.S. government is responsible for monitoring the end use of the equipment it provides to ensure it is used appropriately and in compliance with international law.
For example, the Ronald Reagan administration banned transfers of cluster munitions to Israel in the 1980s after determining that Israel had used them on civilian targets during its invasion of Lebanon. Similarly, Israel has agreed to use U.S. weapons only in self-defense. Despite these agreements, there have been ongoing debates and concerns about the actual use of U.S. weapons in conflict zones.
4. U.S. Military Aid to Israel Since the October 7 Attacks
Since October 7, the U.S. has expedited military aid to Israel, including tank and artillery ammunition, bombs, rockets, and small arms. The Israeli military has received weapons from a strategic stockpile maintained by the U.S. in Israel since the 1980s.
4.1 Expedited Deliveries of Weapons and Equipment
Following the Hamas attacks on October 7, the Biden administration has reportedly made over one hundred military aid transfers to Israel, though only a few have been publicly disclosed due to meeting congressional review thresholds. These expedited deliveries have included a wide range of military equipment to support Israel’s defense efforts.
The U.S. has also agreed to lease Israel two Iron Dome missile defense batteries that Washington had previously purchased from the country, further bolstering Israel’s missile defense capabilities.
4.2 Utilization of the U.S. Strategic Stockpile in Israel
Since the 1980s, the United States has maintained a strategic stockpile of weapons in Israel, designed for use in emergencies. Following the October 7 attacks, Israel has drawn upon this stockpile to replenish its supplies of essential military equipment. This access to pre-positioned resources has allowed Israel to respond rapidly to immediate threats.
U.S. Military Aid to Israel
4.3 Consideration of New Military Sales and High-Tech Products
In April 2024, reports indicated that the Biden administration was considering new military sales to Israel valued at over $18 billion. These potential sales include fifty F-15 fighter aircraft, although the shipments are not expected to arrive for several years. Additionally, the Israeli military is reportedly purchasing high-tech products, such as surveillance drones, directly from smaller U.S. manufacturers, enhancing its intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities.
5. Understanding Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME)
QME is a cornerstone of U.S. military aid to Israel, ensuring Israel can defeat any credible military threat. U.S. law mandates that weapons provided to other Middle Eastern countries do not compromise Israel’s QME, often requiring the U.S. to provide Israel with offsetting weaponry.
5.1 The Legal Basis for QME
The concept of Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME) has been a guiding principle of U.S. military aid for decades. It was formally enshrined in U.S. law in 2008, requiring the U.S. government to maintain Israel’s ability to “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.”
QME is rooted in NATO military planning related to potential conflicts with the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries during the Cold War.
5.2 Ensuring Israel’s Military Superiority
Under the 2008 law, the United States must ensure that any weapons it provides to other countries in the Middle East do not compromise Israel’s QME. This often involves providing Israel with offsetting weaponry as part of larger regional arms sales. For example, in several cases, the U.S. has provided Israel with advanced military technology to maintain its strategic advantage when selling arms to other countries in the region.
5.3 Access to Advanced U.S. Military Weapons and Platforms
QME ensures that Israel is the first in the region to receive access to the most sophisticated U.S. military weapons and platforms. One notable example is the F-35 stealth fighter, of which Israel has fifty. This advanced aircraft provides Israel with a significant strategic advantage due to its advanced technology and capabilities.
6. Growing Public Scrutiny of U.S. Aid to Israel
Public support for Israel has decreased due to the high civilian death toll in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis. Polls show divided views on U.S. military aid to Israel, with younger Americans being the least supportive.
6.1 Shifting Public Opinion and Humanitarian Concerns
Following Hamas’s attack on October 7, Israel initially received widespread support from the West. However, as Israel’s campaign against Hamas resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and exacerbated a humanitarian crisis, pro-Israel sentiment among some groups in the United States and other countries has weakened.
According to a March 2024 poll by the Pew Research Center, most Americans (64 percent) held favorable views of the Israeli people, while a slight majority (51 percent) viewed the Israeli government unfavorably.
6.2 Criticism from Leaders and International Bodies
Numerous U.S. and foreign leaders, the United Nations, human rights and activist groups, and other parties have voiced growing concern over Israel’s air and ground assaults on Gaza, as well as its alleged obstruction of humanitarian aid to the densely populated enclave. Israel has stated that the high civilian death toll is a result of Hamas using civilians as human shields.
In December 2023, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of perpetrating genocide, a claim which both Israel and the United States have denounced as unfounded. In May, the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) charged both Hamas and Israeli leaders with multiple war crimes and crimes against humanity.
6.3 Generational Divide in Support for U.S. Aid
Recent polls suggest that American adults are divided in their views of U.S. military aid to Israel, with significant differences among age groups. Support for military aid to Israel appears strongest among older respondents (ages sixty-five and older) and weakest among younger adults (ages eighteen to twenty-nine). This generational divide reflects differing perspectives on foreign policy, human rights, and the role of the U.S. in international conflicts.
7. U.S. Responses to the Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis
The U.S. has criticized Israel’s handling of the war and paused a bomb shipment due to concerns over civilian deaths. Despite this, the U.S. has expanded its military presence in the Middle East to protect U.S. installations and defend Israel.
7.1 Biden Administration’s Stance on the War
While President Biden has been a strong supporter of Israel’s right to self-defense and continues to provide essential military support, he and some members of U.S. Congress have been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s prosecution of the war and his government’s planning for postwar Gaza.
In December 2023, Biden warned that Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza risked costing Israel its international support. Meanwhile, some lawmakers have sought to condition U.S. military aid to Israel or block sales altogether.
7.2 Pausing of Weapon Shipments and Concerns Over Civilian Casualties
In early 2024, the Biden administration paused a shipment of bombs to Israel, effectively acknowledging that Israel was using American-made weapons in a manner that resulted in civilian deaths in Gaza and risked violating the laws of war. The White House has also spoken out against what they view as Netanyahu’s lack of planning for postwar Gaza.
7.3 Expansion of U.S. Military Presence in the Middle East
The Biden administration has expanded the already large U.S. military presence in the Middle East to protect U.S. installations and ships, as well as to help defend Israel. U.S. forces helped Israel neutralize two separate 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 regular Houthi attacks.
8. Broader Implications for the U.S.-Israel Relationship
The U.S.-Israel relationship has faced strains over the policies of Netanyahu’s government, including its plans to curb the Israeli Supreme Court’s powers and its approval of more Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Some U.S. lawmakers have raised these criticisms in the debate over U.S. aid to Israel during the war in Gaza.
8.1 Strains Over Israeli Government Policies
Prior to the war, the U.S.-Israel relationship had suffered some strains over the rhetoric and policies of Netanyahu’s government, including its plans to curb the Israeli Supreme Court’s powers and its approval of more Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Critics argue that these settlements violate international law and undermine prospects for a future state for Palestinians.
8.2 Debates Over the Two-State Solution
The so-called two-state solution has been a long-running U.S. foreign policy goal, including for the Biden administration. However, the ongoing conflict and the expansion of Israeli settlements have made this goal increasingly difficult to achieve. Some U.S. lawmakers have raised these issues in the debate over U.S. aid to Israel during the war in Gaza.
8.3 Reevaluating U.S. Aid to Israel
In recent years, some U.S. and Israeli analysts have suggested that U.S. aid to Israel should be reevaluated, given Israel’s status as a wealthy country with one of the most advanced militaries in the world. These observers argue that modern Israel is capable of providing for its own security, and U.S. aid unnecessarily distorts the bilateral relationship and the countries’ respective foreign policies.
CFR Senior Fellow Steven A. Cook has suggested that U.S. military aid should be phased out over ten years and replaced with a series of bilateral agreements on security cooperation, a move he believes would benefit both countries and help normalize their relations. The late Martin S. Indyk, former U.S. ambassador to Israel and CFR Distinguished Fellow, also advocated for reductions in U.S. aid, arguing that the U.S.-Israel relationship would be healthier without this dependence.
9. Alternative Perspectives on U.S. Aid
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. Others argue that U.S. aid fosters collaboration between U.S. and Israeli defense industries and helps counter shared threats.
9.1 Arguments Against Continued Aid
Critics of U.S. aid to Israel argue that it weakens Israel’s defense industrial base while primarily benefiting U.S. defense contractors. They contend that the guaranteed revenue stream for these contractors distorts the market and reduces incentives for innovation within Israel’s own defense sector.
9.2 Arguments for Continued Aid
Supporters of continued aid assert that it promotes ongoing, crucial collaboration between U.S. and Israeli defense industries and experts, which ultimately helps both countries address shared threats in the Middle East, particularly Iran. They maintain that U.S. aid remains a vital and cost-effective expenditure that enhances U.S. national security and should not be reduced or conditioned.
9.3 The Impact on U.S. National Security
Advocates for continued aid argue that it is essential for maintaining U.S. national security interests in the Middle East. They claim that ending U.S. military aid would signal to Israel’s enemies that its greatest ally is withdrawing support, potentially emboldening them to intensify their attacks on the Jewish state. CFR Senior Fellow Elliott Abrams has warned that reducing or conditioning U.S. aid would send a dangerous message to Israel’s adversaries.
10. FAQ: U.S. Financial Aid to Israel
Here are some frequently asked questions about U.S. financial aid to Israel:
10.1 How much money has the U.S. given to Israel in total?
The U.S. has provided approximately $310 billion in total economic and military assistance to Israel since its founding, adjusted for inflation.
10.2 What percentage of U.S. foreign aid goes to Israel?
The percentage varies, but Israel has historically been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid. In recent years, it has constituted a significant portion of the U.S.’s foreign military financing.
10.3 Is U.S. aid to Israel increasing or decreasing?
While economic assistance has decreased, military aid has increased significantly, especially since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023.
10.4 What are the main conditions attached to U.S. aid to Israel?
U.S. aid must be used in accordance with agreed-upon terms and is subject to U.S. and international law, including the Leahy Law, which prohibits aid to governments that commit gross human rights violations.
10.5 How does Israel use U.S. aid money?
Most of the aid is used to purchase U.S. military equipment and services, enhancing Israel’s defense capabilities and ensuring interoperability with U.S. forces.
10.6 What is the Iron Dome, and how is the U.S. involved?
The Iron Dome is an Israeli missile defense system. The U.S. has been a production partner since 2014, with U.S. contractors manufacturing interceptor missiles for the system.
10.7 Why is there growing scrutiny of U.S. aid to Israel?
The growing scrutiny is due to concerns over the high civilian death toll in Gaza, the humanitarian crisis, and differing opinions on the proportionality of Israel’s response to attacks.
10.8 What is Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME)?
QME ensures Israel can defeat any credible military threat without sustaining minimal damage and casualties.
10.9 How has the Biden administration responded to concerns about U.S. aid to Israel?
The Biden administration has paused weapon shipments and criticized Israel’s handling of the war but continues to provide essential military support and has expanded the U.S. military presence in the Middle East to protect U.S. interests and defend Israel.
10.10 What are the long-term implications of U.S. aid to Israel?
The long-term implications include ongoing debates about the effectiveness and appropriateness of U.S. aid, potential reevaluations of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and discussions about alternative approaches to ensuring Israel’s security.
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