U.S. news media are failing to inform Americans about the largest military aid package to a foreign country in U.S. history, says If Americans Knew. Congress is poised to pass legislation that will give Israel a minimum of $38 billion over the next ten years. This aid package would likely be of interest to Americans, many of whom are cutting back their own personal spending. That amounts to $7,230 per minute to Israel, or $120 per second, and equals about $23,000 for each Jewish Israeli family of four. A stack of 38 billion one-dollar bills would reach ten times higher than the International Space Station as it orbits the earth.
And that’s the minimum – the amount of aid will likely go up in future years. The package was originally negotiated by the Obama administration in 2016 as a “memorandum of understanding (MOU),” which is is an agreement between two parties that is not legally binding. The current legislation cements a version of that package into law – and this version is even more beneficial to Israel. Among other things, it makes the $38 billion a floor rather than a ceiling as the MOU had directed.
While U.S. media did report on the MOU two years ago, no single mainstream news report informing Americans about this new, even more extravagant version – and that it is about to become law, if constituents do not rise up in opposition. And many Americans likely would oppose the legislation, if they knew about it. Surveys show that 60 percent of Americans feel the U.S. already gives Israel too much money. Many oppose Israel over its systemic human rights violations. While U.S. media are inexplicably ignoring this massive aid legislation, Israeli media and Jewish publications are covering it regularly, and Israel lobbying organizations are calling on their members to support it. AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, reportedly pioneered the legislation.
Last week, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky) placed a hold on the bill, which means that he may filibuster against it if the bill goes to a vote. In all likelihood it will, given that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has received over $1.5 million from pro-Israel campaign donors, and given that pro-Israel donors often dominate U.S. politicians (recent leaked video footage shows Israel lobby manipulation first hand). AIPAC has reportedly issued an action alert to its members to pressure Senator Paul to end his historic effort against aid to Israel, and has placed Facebook ads targeting him. Paul has issued a statement in response and says he will introduce an amendment in the coming days.
Somehow, U.S. media have so far missed both this extraordinary action by an American Senator and the orchestrated pressure against him, but Israeli media are covering it thoroughly.In other words, Israelis know about the $38 billion legislation, Israeli partisans in the U.S. know about it and are pressuring Congress to pass it, but the large majority of American taxpayers whose money will be given to Israel have no idea that the legislation is even before Congress.
People wishing to support Senator Paul’s attempt to block the aid package can take action here.
