The USA will not reduce its high military aid to Israel even after the restructuring of the judiciary there has begun. “There will be no cuts or a halt to military aid,” US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in Washington yesterday. There is an “iron” obligation to Israel, its security and the partnership with the United States that has lasted for decades.
The United States supports Israel annually with around 3.8 billion US dollars (almost 3.5 billion euros) – a considerable part of which goes to the defense against missiles and military technology. This makes Israel the largest recipient of accumulated US military aid since the end of World War II, currently totaling about $158 billion. US President Joe Biden has stated that he will not attach any conditions to this aid.
US government criticizes parliamentary decision
On Monday, Israel’s parliament passed a core element of a controversial judicial reform. The bill limits the Supreme Court’s ability to act. The entire opposition refused to vote. The law is part of a package that critics see as a threat to Israel’s democracy.
The US government had criticized Parliament’s decision without the approval of the opposition. Biden’s spokeswoman said it was “regrettable” that the vote came about “with the smallest possible majority”.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made similar comments in a phone call with his Israeli colleague Yoav Gallant on Tuesday. “Broad consensus through political dialogue, especially in the coming weeks and months, are critical elements of a resilient democracy,” he said, according to a Pentagon statement.
