The devil’s advocate: US aid and assistance to Israel post-7 October

• 

  by Mahrukh Khan

 In the aftermath of the Hamas attack of 7 October, 2023, the Biden administration announced its support for Israel in the form of a $105 billion national security package, including military and humanitarian assistance for Israel and Ukraine. Of this $105 billion, $14.3 billion – as supplementary funding – was meant to provide security support to Israel, release hostages, provide humanitarian aid to Israel and Gaza and replenish Israel’s stockpile of interceptors for its Iron Dome missile defence system, artillery shells and other munitions. The assistance further included support for air and missile defence, investments in the industrial base and replenishment of US stocks to aid Israel. This aid is intended to improve Israel’s air and missile defence systems’ readiness and help procure and develop various missile defence components. Additionally, $3.7 billion in aid and assistance continued under the Ten-Year Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Israel, enhancing Israel’s military capabilities and security. In comparison, approximately $3.3 billion in aid is given to Israel every year to purchase arms from the US and Israeli companies.

More recently, in April 2024, the Biden administration approved an additional $95 billion assistance package for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. Of this package, $26 billion would go to Israel and $9.15 billion in humanitarian assistance to Gaza, the West Bank and Ukraine.

READ: Israeli media: 54 per cent of Israelis support Hamas prisoner exchange deal

Implications of US military support for Israel

Decades of US military aid and assistance to Israel have significantly shaped Israel’s strategic positioning in the Middle East. This has not only strengthened Israel’s military muscle but also accentuated the power asymmetry in the region and sparked an arms race. The evolution of US arms transfer policies, particularly within the last decade, has emerged as a significant concern within the region and beyond as it reinforces Israel’s military supremacy.

The US attempt to preserve Israel’s military superiority through military aid and assistance and security alliances has forced the Middle East region to emerge as a security-centric bloc. The proposed sale of F-16 aircraft and mobile I-Hawk missile systems to Jordan, alongside the provision of F-15 fighter jets and Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to Saudi Arabia, combined with Syria’s acquisition of advanced Soviet weaponry, have introduced a sense of threat and danger in the region as it becomes increasingly weaponised.

The extensive US military assistance to Israel has several implications, both for the countries involved as well as the broader Middle East:

• Regional security dynamics: The assistance to Israel has a significant impact on regional security dynamics by building Israel’s military capabilities, along with unconditional political support from the US.
• Domestic political considerations: US military aid to Israel in the recent past has been a contentious issue domestically. While it enjoys broad bi-partisan support, some vocal critics argue that the aid package should be conditional on Israel’s adherence to certain policies, such as settlements in the West Bank, invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza without a civilian protection plan, concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis, and easy delivery of food and other supplies into Gaza. Many in Washington have called upon the Biden administration to subject US security assistance to greater scrutiny after the Israeli strike on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy.
• Diplomatic and peace efforts: The assistance also impacts peace efforts in the Middle East. It is often a point of contention between Israel and its neighbours, who view the military support as enabling Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
• Technological advancements: Collaboration on military technologies has yielded technological advancements and economic benefits for both countries. Israel has become a hub for US defence technology and innovation – a prime example of which is the Iron Dome technology.

Boycott, divestment and sanctions

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is a nonviolent human rights initiative led by Palestinians. It aims to encourage the refusal of Israeli products made in illegally occupied Palestinian territories. The movement started in 2005 and is modelled on the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. It demands: “Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties.”

Nearly 27 states in the US have implemented anti-BDS laws as Israel paints the movement as anti-Semitic and blames it for the rise in discrimination against Jews. The movement has spread to Europe, like in France, where criminal charges have been introduced against the promotion of Israeli boycotts. Twenty-seven states in the US have adopted anti-boycott laws and policies that could punish companies and individuals for refusing to trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank or with Israel in general.

Individuals in the US are often required to sign certificates that they will not engage in any activity that boycotts Israel or its settlements and lose income. This has been challenged by groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, arguing that it is compromising the freedom of speech of American citizens. The increasing intolerance for any action against Israel’s illegal actions and international law violations is encouraging and aiding discrimination against Muslims in American societies. According to a survey carried out by Pew Research, 70 per cent of American Muslims believe that discrimination against Muslims has increased since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

In recent months, the majority of Americans have disapproved of Israel’s actions in Gaza. According to a recent Gallup poll conducted between 1 and 20 March, 55 per cent of US adults said they disapproved of Israel’s military actions – a jump of ten percentage points from four months earlier. Similarly, President Biden’s approval rating has significantly declined due to his administration’s handling of the crisis. In February 2023, Biden stated that the US would not provide arms to anyone who could potentially use them to violate human rights. The Biden administration has been repeatedly criticised for applying this to Middle Eastern countries but not to Israel, which has been taken to the International Court of Justice for committing genocide in Gaza.

Due to the rising domestic pressure, the Biden administration has slightly diverged from its strong support for Israel. There is a growing understanding in the US for making strategic adjustments in the US policy approaches to Israel, where military assistance is involved. Many in the US policy circles believe that failing to place any conditions on Israel would provide an opportunity for other aid recipients to disregard US aid conditions. By endorsing Israel’s military operations in Gaza and failing to exercise effective oversight of US military assistance, Washington is essentially undercutting the Foreign Assistance Act, the Arms Export Act, and the Leahy Laws, all of which oblige the recipients of US military assistance to meet human rights standards.

US aid and assistance to Israel has evolved over the past many decades, significantly impacting the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape. Unconditionally, US military support to Israel has encouraged it to exercise actions that are manifestly against international law and has helped it create the capacity to wage unjust wars. While its implications are complex, they underscore the region’s intricate interplay of political, military and diplomatic factors. The repercussions of Israel’s military superiority in the Middle East are complex and multifaceted, contributing to threat instability in the region. This continues to perpetuate the cycle of violence and conflict in Gaza.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240720-the-devils-advocate-us-aid-and-assistance-to-israel-post-7-october/