Elections this week in Israel, and the recent change in Administration in the Unites States raise the opportunity to re-evaluate bilateral relations between our two countries. Israel is the largest single recipient of US foreign aid, mostly in the form of Military Materiel assistance. In 2007, the United states increased foreign military aid to Israel by 25%, committing to $3 billion per year for the next 10 years. Wiki. However, a 1976 Law, Arms Export Control Act, which places restrictions on arms sales that:
would contribute to an arms race, aid in the development of weapons of mass destruction, support international terrorism, increase the possibility of outbreak or escalation of conflict, or prejudice the development of bilateral or multilateral arms control or nonproliferation agreements or other arrangements."
In January, Dennis Kucinich, requested a review of US Arms sales to Israel, in light of the Gaza operations, to determine if there were any violations of the Act. Israel May Be in Violation of Arms Export Control Act
"Section 4 of the [U.S.] Arms Export Control Act requires that military items transferred to foreign governments by the United States be used solely for internal security and legitimate self-defense," says Stephen Zunes, professor of politics at the University of San Francisco.
The vast majority of Americans support the idea, and the reality, of a secure State of Israel. But, some democratic progressives are troubled by what some see as a tendency towards reliance on militaristic approaches versus diplomatic and developmental approaches towards resolving the intractable conflict in the middle east.
What are the alternatives? My proposal is this, The United states continue the transfer of funds at the current level, but provide them for the purpose of Research and Development in alternative energy.
The framework already exists, in 2007 a bill was passed, the USIECA, Energy independence is a security issue.
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Our vision of the world is where the oil bargaining chip would have a lesser value. It's not just a clean, green issue, although that's very important. But for us, it's a strategic security issue, for Israel and the United States."
The bill's original wording earmarked $20 million a year in grants, but the legislation ended up passing without a funding target. AJC executive director Neil Goldstein of the grant program, said he hoped as much as $30m. would be allocated for the grants in 2009, the first year grants will be available.
The USIECA was introduced as a separate bill by a bipartisan coalition led in the House by Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA) and John Shadegg (R-AZ) and in the Senate by Chairman Bingaman (D-NM) and Gordon Smith (R-OR
US Israel Energy Independence
Israel could still purchase Arms, but the US would be out of the business of providing them for free. Israel has a robust Arms industry (Unique among recipients of US military aid, Israel is allowed to spend a quarter of their grant on internal arms suppliers and development ). Israel ranks fourth in the World in Arms exports.
Providing funds for research and development in energy would stimulate both Israeli and US industry, and this move would send a signal to the wider world that the US is serious about supporting Israel, while communicating that we are no longer primarily intent on increasing the amount of of arms and weapons in unstable regions.