Fueling the Conflict: Military Aid

So just how much military aid does the United States provide to Israel? According to End the Occupation we gave 24 billion from 2000-2009. And we are scheduled to give $30 billion from 2009-2018. This means that Israel gets 60% of US Foreign military aid. They are the largest recipients. In addition, Israel also receives funds from our annual defense appropriation bills for joint US Israeli missile defense programs that can exceed $100 million. This is a lot of money.

In 2011 the average American taxpayer gave $21.59 towards this goal.

The money we give is not subject to our rigorous domestic laws as codified in The Arms Export Control Act or the Foreign Assistance Act. For example The Arms Export Control  Act limits use of U.S. weapons to “internal security” and “legitimate self-defense” and The Foreign Assistance Act states that no U.S. aid may be provided to countries who consistently violate international law and human rights. We are breaking our own laws by providing non-conditional military aid. 

I can tell you from experience at nonviolent peaceful demonstrations that I attended as an Ecumenical Accompanier that our high quality U.S. made tear gas is not being used for self-defense but more as a way to break up demonstrations. It has even been used like a weapon and shot at demonstrators including American citizens.  And as has been noted in other numerous posts caterpillar D9 bulldozers have been used as lethal weapons too to destroy homes, olive trees, water cisterns, even animal troughs.

By giving Israel guns, ammunitions, missiles, tanks, ships, helicopters, and airplanes to enforce the longest occupation in history, we are, according to Amnesty International’s report, literally “fueling the conflict.” Thus, failing to condition military aid to Israel based on compliance with our own domestic laws with strict adherence to the law of self defense makes us complicit and violators of our own laws.

Furthermore, according to the Aid to Israel website with their wonderful interactive map, this same  $30 billion could provide the following:

More than 350,000 low-income families with affordable housing vouchers; or

Nearly 500,000 unemployed workers with re-training for green jobs; or

Almost 900,000 at-risk children with early reading programs; or

24 million people lacking health insurance with basic care 

The map also allows you to calculate how much your state, county, district, or city provides to Israel’s military aid along with how this money could be spent. My state of Illinois provides $1,475,511, 608 in military funds. 

From this perspective then the choice is clear according to End the Occupation. We fund Israel’s destruction of Palestinian homes, or invest that money in affordable housing for Americans. We fund Israel’s uprooting of Palestinian agriculture, or develop our economic base for green jobs. We fund Israel’s restrictions on Palestinian education, or build our children’s skills. We fund Israel’s injuring and killing of Palestinians, or provide healthcare to our own citizens.

So whether you believe simply all military aid should be conditional or that the aid could be better spent at home, let us follow up the prophetic call of our denominational leaders with education and advocacy.  Let us share the facts about how much aid and what it is being used for with our faith communities and with our elected officials. 

I encourage you to check out the interactive map to find how much unconditional assistance your state is providing and then do something about it. You might also wish to learn about how our military aid also sustains Israel's reliance on militarism and a military solution rather than a political solution at Two Peoples One Future.