Netanyahu Criticizes Obama for Condemning Israel's Settlement Expansion into Arab East Jerusalem, Where the Capital of the Potential Future State of Palestine Would be Located
And foreign aid is just one component of the staggering cost of our alliance with Israel. Given the tremendous costs, it is critical to examine why we lavish so much aid on Israel, and whether it is worth Americans' hard-earned tax dollars. But first, let's take a look at what our alliance with Israel truly costs. Before the Iraq War in 2003 Direct Foreign Aid According to the Congressional Research Service , the amount of official US aid to Israel since its founding in 1948 tops $121 billion (adjusting for inflation, $233.7 billion as of March 2013), and in the past few decades it has been on the order of $3.1 billion per year. (In 2014, for example, this amounted to $8.5 million every single day.)
But this money is only part of the story. For one thing, Israel gets all of its aid money at the start of each year, rather than in quarterly installments like other countries.This is significant: It means that Israel can start earning interest on the money right away – interest paid by the US since Israel invests these funds in US Treasury notes. In addition, because the US government operates at a deficit, it must borrow money in order to give it to Israel and then pay interest on it all year. Together these cost US taxpayers more than $100 million every year.
Israel is also the only recipient of US military aid that is allowed to use a significant portion annually to purchase products made by Israeli companies instead of US companies. (The costs to Americans caused by this unique perk are discussed below.) In addition, the US gives roughly $1.6 billion per year to Egypt and Jordan in aid packages arranged largely in exchange for peace treaties with Israel. The treaties don’t include justice for Palestinians, and are therefore deeply unpopular with the local populations.
- IfAmericansKnew.org, April 12, 2013
White House jabs Netanyahu over 'American values' critique
White House Rejects Netanyahu's Criticism With Withering Response- [$$] U.S., Israel Spar Over Iran, Peace With Palestinians The Wall Street Journal
- Differences over Iran, settlements mar Netanyahu-Obama talks AFP
"It's American values that lend this country’s unwavering support to Israel," Earnest said.
"It's American values that have led us to fight for and secure funding to strengthen Israel's security in tangible ways.
"It's American values that have led us to fund and build an Iron Dome system that have protected the lives of countless innocent Israeli citizens.
"It's American values that have led the United States to fully support Israel's right to defend itself. And it's American values that have led us to defend Israel in a variety of international forums, including a variety of United States forums."
"It's against the American values. And it doesn't bode well for peace," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment