New Book Claims Israeli Aid Comes at High Cost

Israel’s Army and Air Force

This BBC article discusses a new book which claims that the pro-Israel lobby has caused America’s uneven financial support of Israel and that those policies are damaging our overseas interests.

According to the article, the United States spend an enormous percentage (17%) of our direct aid budget on military assistance for Israel. This would be money well spent if Israel was beneficial to our anti-terrorism goals.

[But the Authors] reject the argument that Israel is a key ally in America's "war on terror".

Some might argue that Israel is an island of Democracy that is aiding our pro-democracy interests in the region. The Authors of the new book disagree.

On the contrary, they contend, US patronage of Israel fuels militant anger - as well as fostering resentment in Arab countries that control vital oil supplies.

They added,

He and Mr Mearsheimer deny recycling old fantasies of Jewish conspiracies. Their book repeatedly states that pro-Israeli lobbying is not secretive, but conforms to the open rules of America's democratic system.

I would tend to agree with the Authors of the new book because our aid to Israel is frequently cited as motivation for terrorism. It is part of the fundamental schism between western and Islamic civilizations. Successful mediation of this dispute, is required in order to begin the process of reconciliation that would see Israeli and Palestinian states cooperating side by side, and Islamic Terrorism a thing of the past.