It’s Time to End America’s Blank Check Military Aid to Israel
By Opinion
Published 5 years ago on
September 9, 2019
Share
[aggregation-styles]
Forward
Forward
Last month, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez declared that American aid to Israel is “something that can be discussed” in Washington. Her comments made news precisely because America’s policy of giving Israel billions in aid without expecting any policy changes in return hasn’t actually been discussed — or at least questioned — in either party in more than a quarter-century. That needs to change.
To understand why, ask yourself this question: Why did Israelis last month re-elect a prime minister who opposes a Palestinian state and — by championing settlement growth and vowing to annex parts of the West Bank — is working to make one impossible?
There are several common answers. One is historical: Over the last two decades the second intifada and rocket fire from the Gaza Strip have created an enduring right-wing majority among Israeli Jews. A second answer is demographic: Netanyahu’s center-left rivals lean heavily on the votes of secular Ashkenazi Jews, whose share of the Israeli population is shrinking. Netanyahu relies more on Orthodox Jews, whose share is rising.
To understand why, ask yourself this question: Why did Israelis last month re-elect a prime minister who opposes a Palestinian state and — by championing settlement growth and vowing to annex parts of the West Bank — is working to make one impossible?
There are several common answers. One is historical: Over the last two decades the second intifada and rocket fire from the Gaza Strip have created an enduring right-wing majority among Israeli Jews. A second answer is demographic: Netanyahu’s center-left rivals lean heavily on the votes of secular Ashkenazi Jews, whose share of the Israeli population is shrinking. Netanyahu relies more on Orthodox Jews, whose share is rising.
By Peter Beinart | 20 May 2019
RELATED TOPICS:
Slumping California Risks Losing World’s ‘5th Largest Economy’ Title
Economy /
9 hours ago
Ukraine Uses Long-Range Missiles Secretly Provided by US to Hit Russian-Held Areas, Officials Say
World /
11 hours ago
Boxing Star Ryan Garcia Wants to Meet Netanyahu, Pledges Aid for Gaza Children
Sports /
12 hours ago
Legislation Pandering to Tribal Casinos Is a Bad Bet for Fresno Cardroom Employees
Opinion /
13 hours ago
About 1 in 4 US Adults Over 50 Say They Expect to Never Retire, an AARP Study Finds
Economy /
14 hours ago
Biden Signs a $95 Billion War Aid Measure With Assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan
National /
14 hours ago
Latest
Videos
World /
8 hours ago
Police Tangle With Students in Texas and California as Wave of Campus Protest Against Gaza War Grows
Economy /
9 hours ago
Slumping California Risks Losing World’s ‘5th Largest Economy’ Title
World /
11 hours ago
Ukraine Uses Long-Range Missiles Secretly Provided by US to Hit Russian-Held Areas, Officials Say
Sports /
12 hours ago