US ‘commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad,’ will not cut military aid despite disagreement

Earlier, the president warned Netanyahu, in an interview with Thomas Friedman, that if the reform is passed, “you’d be breaking one of the most important bonds between the U.S. and Israel.”

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

The United States said it will not cut its military aid to Israel despite White House disappointment that a judicial reform bill passed this week without consensus.

“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,” Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told a press briefing Tuesday.

“We understand that the talks on attempts at a compromise on judicial reform will continue in the coming weeks and months with the aim of reaching a consensus through dialogue,” he added.

President Joe Biden himself had urged Israel, in conversations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, to seek a “broad consensus” instead of “rushing” to pass the bill that restricted usage of the reasonableness standard in Israel’s Supreme Court.

Ahead of the vote, Biden warned Israel, through New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman, that if the reform went ahead, “you’d be breaking one of the most important bonds between the United States and Israel, our shared values around democratic decision-making and an independent judiciary.”

When the emendation to the Basic Law: Judiciary passed its final reading in the Knesset Monday, the White House stated, “It is unfortunate that the vote today took place with the slimmest possible majority. We urge Israeli leaders to work toward a consensus-based approach through political dialogue.”

The day before the vote, two former American ambassadors to Israel, Martin Indyk and Dan Kurtzer, told the New York Times that it would be better for both countries if the U.S. did not supply Israel with military aid.

According to Indyk, “Israel can afford it, and it would be healthier for the relationship if Israel stood on its own two feet.”

Kurtzer agreed with the financial assessment, saying that such aid “creates a false sense of dependency,” adding that it is bad for America.

“Aid provides the U.S. with no leverage or influence over Israeli decisions to use force; because we sit by quietly while Israel pursues policies we oppose, we are seen as ‘enablers’ of Israel’s occupation…

“U.S. aid provides a multibillion-dollar cushion that allows Israel to avoid hard choices of where to spend its own money and thus allows Israel to spend more money on policies we oppose, such as settlements,” he said.

The anti-Israel Squad and other progressive Democrats have also pushed the White House to restrict or eliminate aid to Israel.

Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding between the allies that runs through 2028, the U.S. provides Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military aid. A vast majority of it must be used to purchase American equipment, such as Lockheed-Martin’s F-35 stealth fighter, which costs over $100 million apiece.

Jerusalem approved the purchase of a third squadron of 25 jets early this month. They are considered vital to any potential attack on Iran to prevent Tehran from going nuclear.