While the Biden administration has expressed concern about the judicial overhaul being pushed forward by the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it has made clear US military aid to Israel will not be affected.
“There is not going to be any cut or stoppage of military aid, and that is because our commitment to Israel and our commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad. Our decades-long partnership with Israel is ironclad,” State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said Tuesday, according to Ynet. The US provides Israel with $3.8 billion in military aid each year.
Patel’s comments came a day after Israel’s Knesset voted to abolish Israel’s “reasonableness standard,” eliminating the Supreme Court’s ability to block government decisions it deems unreasonable. The law passed amid massive demonstrations against the plan in a vote of 64-0, as the opposition did not vote in protest.
“It is clear that the legislation has consequences for people’s day-to-day lives, and that is why we said that such changes in democracy require a broad consensus,” Patel said.
Last week, President Biden signaled the judicial overhaul could impact the “special relationship” between the US and Israel. But after the vote, the administration was quick to assure Israel that it had full military support from the US. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, by phone on Tuesday.
“Secretary Austin made clear that US commitment to Israel’s security is steadfast and unwavering, and affirmed that the Department of Defense is focused on initiatives that deepen military cooperation,” the Pentagon said in a readout of the call.
Concerning the judicial overhaul, Austin “underscored the United States’ belief that broad consensus through political dialogue, especially in the coming weeks and months, are critical elements of a resilient democracy.”
The Pentagon said Austin also “urged Minister Gallant to address extremist settler violence against Palestinian civilians and continue the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s efforts to improve economic opportunities for Palestinians in the West Bank.”
The Netanyahu government’s recent bombing campaign in Gaza and massive raids in the West Bank have also not impacted US military aid, as the US has supported the operations. Violence this year in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza has killed over 200 Palestinians.
I have no problem giving Israel $3.8.BillionBucks a year but….I do want something in return: A FREE AND INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE, NUCLEAR ARMED AND INDEPENDENT (JUST LIKE ISRAEL).
I wouldn’t give them a dime under no circumstances…!
They don’t need the Billions we have and will give them. They peddle weapons and high tech to anyone who will pay. None of the ideas you have will float.
There you go again, Donna, expecting Zionism to make sense when it’s only dollars and cents that count for anything.
Zero tax dollars for Israel. Or anyone.
Donna, I prefer we give the billions to the Palestinians, to compensate for what we’ve allowed IsraHell to do to them.
The citizens of Israel have as much say in their countries actions as the citizens of the US,none.
The United States of Israel…! There are Two Israels… One in Middle East and one in North America…!
The one in North America occupies the Congress
AIPAC is one of the most effective political lobbying groups the worls has ever seen fully capable of swinging elections and pressuring ass kissing politicians
Less than 2% of the population has the entire political class of N. America and Europe eating their shit and singing its gustatory savor.
The one in the middle east occupies the one in the US.
With all of the powerful lobbiest the citizens of the US are in a world of hurt without much chance of making the little guys voice heard.
This is why Parliamentary form of government is wrong.
It can lead to despotism.
Right. Just like the war powers act prevents presidents from initiating hostilities on their own.
A broken fallacy.
In other news…..
The sky remains blue, updates to follow….
It’s a “special relationship”, all right: host and parasite.
Hey Hey Mr J., how many Palestinians did we kill today?
Killed with “exceptionally” made American weapons. How come the Weapons Export Act is never applied in this case ?
Because of the SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP, Leinster!