Is Israel a US Asset in the Middle East?
The United States has always been a supporter of Israel in the Middle East since the latter’s creation. The United States has always seen Israel as its asset in the Middle Eastern region. Israel’s 70 percent of weapon supplies come from the United States. Moreover, Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of US aid, with almost $300 billion in economic and military aid, since the end of World War 2.
The United States also provides economic assistance to other Middle Eastern countries like Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt – but this aid is far less than what it provides to Israel. Recently, the United States has agreed to provide $4 billion per annum to Israel. The United States has provided multiple peculiar exemptions to Israel.
Almost $3.3 billion in aid is provided to Israel by the United States under the Foreign Military Fund (FMF) program. The FMF funds are granted to the US allies just to purchase US military services and equipment. However, Israel is the sole country in the world that is allowed to use a portion of this amount to purchase military equipment from its own defense firms. Reportedly, the US aid accounts for around 15 percent of the Israel defense budget. In addition, around $500 million per year is allocated for the joint defense ventures between the United States and Israel.
Controversies and Criticisms: Israel’s Impact on US Interests
The United States is one of the very few countries in........
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