Political Tribune

2024, Analysis, International Affairs, Iran, Opinion

Opinion: It’s Time To Stop Funding Israel’s Apartheid And No Good, Very Bad Behavior

Time to stop giving Israel money.

577
577 points

For decades, the United States has provided unwavering support to Israel, funneling billions of dollars in aid despite Israel’s repeated violations of international law, its unilateral bombings of neighboring countries, and its ongoing apartheid-like treatment of Palestinians. As we look closer at Israel’s behavior on the global stage, it becomes clear that it’s time to re-evaluate this relationship and stop funding what is effectively state-sponsored ethnic cleansing and war crimes.

Israel’s Violations of UN Law: A Global Double Standard

Israel’s violations of United Nations resolutions and international law are numerous, including but not limited to illegal settlements, land seizures, and the use of military force in civilian areas. The Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem has been condemned by the UN in dozens of resolutions over the years, yet Israel continues to act with impunity.

For comparison, if any other nation consistently defied international law the way Israel does, the global community, especially the United States, would impose sanctions, not billions in military aid. Take Iraq under Saddam Hussein, for instance. After invading Kuwait, Iraq faced swift and harsh punishment, including international sanctions and military action. Israel, by contrast, continues its illegal occupation with little consequence, a glaring double standard.

22 years ago – this is what Bibi Netanyahu said while under oath in a U.S. congressional hearing:

In fact, the UN has passed numerous resolutions against Israel, including UN Security Council Resolution 2334 in 2016, which condemned Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as a “flagrant violation” of international law. Yet, the U.S. not only turns a blind eye but continues to funnel taxpayer money into the Israeli military, effectively subsidizing these violations.

Netanyahu: The Untrustworthy Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s long-serving Prime Minister, is at the center of this mess. For years, he has acted with total disregard for both international norms and his own country’s allies. His reputation, both at home and abroad, is tarnished, even among his closest political allies.

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Take Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s former Defense Minister and a former ally of Netanyahu. Lieberman described Netanyahu as untrustworthy, saying, “This is a prime minister who lies morning, noon, and night” in a radio interview. Naftali Bennett, another former ally who served as Defense Minister under Netanyahu, has been equally scathing, accusing Netanyahu of failing to protect Israeli citizens and using his office for personal gain.

In the United States, officials have been more diplomatic, but it’s well known that Netanyahu is not trusted. Behind closed doors, American politicians describe him as manipulative, unreliable, and increasingly dangerous. This reputation extends across Europe and the Middle East, where Netanyahu is often seen as a destabilizing force in an already volatile region.

Israel’s Bombings and Attempts to Manipulate the U.S. into War

Over the years, Israel has launched unilateral military strikes on Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Gaza, and beyond. These bombings often kill civilians, destroy infrastructure, and fuel further instability. Israel has attempted to drag the U.S. into conflicts, especially with Iran. President Biden recently suggested that Israel may be trying to influence the U.S. into war with Iran, noting, “There are those who believe that Israel may be trying to influence us into conflict.”

The truth is, Israel cannot take out Iran without U.S. help, and Netanyahu has been trying for years to get America involved in another war in the Middle East. What’s more concerning is that Netanyahu’s motivations aren’t purely strategic. His political career is in shambles. He’s facing legal battles at home for corruption, and his approval ratings are at an all-time low. If Netanyahu loses the next election, it’s likely he will go to jail. His incentive to blow up the region to avoid personal political collapse cannot be ignored.

Innocent Lives Lost in Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank

Israel’s military operations, often justified as “self-defense,” have led to countless deaths of innocent civilians. In Lebanon, the 2006 war resulted in over 1,100 Lebanese civilian deaths. In Gaza, Israel’s bombardments in 2014 killed over 2,200 Palestinians, most of whom were civilians, including 550 children. The West Bank sees a constant low-level conflict where Palestinian homes are demolished, and civilians are regularly targeted under the guise of counter-terrorism operations.

We could share thousands of images of blown up children, dead bodies and absolute carnage but we’ll avoid all that.  Instead – we’ll show the damage of infrastructure.  But make no mistake – Israel’s intent is to murder non-Jews in these regions – pure and simple with no regard for right or wrong.

Israel’s actions are not just isolated incidents; they are part of a systematic campaign that amounts to apartheid and ethnic cleansing. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating Israel for potential war crimes, including targeting civilians and forcibly transferring Palestinians from their homes.

Amnesty International wrote this in October of 2023:

“The five cases presented barely scratch the surface of the horror that Amnesty has documented and illustrate the devastating impact that Israel’s aerial bombardments are having on people in Gaza. For 16 years, Israel’s illegal blockade has made Gaza the world’s biggest open-air prison – the international community must act now to prevent it becoming a giant graveyard. We are calling on Israeli forces to immediately end unlawful attacks in Gaza and ensure that they take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians and damage to civilian objects. Israel’s allies must immediately impose a comprehensive arms embargo given that serious violations under international law are being committed.”

Since 7 October Israeli forces have launched thousands of air bombardments in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 3,793 people, mostly civilians, including more than 1,500 children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. Approximately 12,500 have been injured and more than 1,000 bodies are still trapped beneath the rubble.

Israel: America’s Biggest Counterintelligence Threat

Shockingly, Israel is also America’s largest counterintelligence threat in the Middle East. According to the CIA, Israel has conducted espionage against the United States more than any other ally. In 2014, Newsweek reported that Israel was engaging in “massive spying operations” against the U.S., with one senior intelligence official saying, “Israel is spying on us like crazy.” Israel has also been caught stealing U.S. technology and sharing it with our enemies to further their own interests.

This betrayal underscores the reality that Israel is not acting in America’s best interest, despite the rhetoric of being our closest ally in the region. Instead, they use American taxpayer money to undermine our national security, all while lobbying for more financial aid.

  • From the FBI’s Counterintelligence Program, which highlights Israel’s aggressive espionage against the U.S.:

    “Certain allied nations such as Israel have conducted aggressive espionage operations targeting U.S. government secrets and private sector technological advances. Israel’s intelligence gathering activities in the U.S. are more intensive than those of many adversarial states.”
    Source: FBI Counterintelligence Program​ (Federal Bureau of Investigation).

  • From the 2023 Annual Threat Assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), outlining foreign espionage threats:

    “Foreign intelligence entities are developing the capacity to exploit, disrupt, or degrade critical infrastructure worldwide. This includes allies such as Israel, which engage in espionage against the U.S. at a level similar to adversarial states.”
    Source: 2023 Annual Threat Assessment​ (DNI Official).

The U.S. Has Given Israel Billions—and They Keep Asking for More

Since the 1940s, the U.S. has given Israel over $158 billion in military and economic aid, more than any other nation. This money is supposed to help Israel defend itself, but in reality, much of it is used to perpetuate its apartheid system, fund illegal settlements, and influence U.S. politics through groups like AIPAC.

Republican Congressman Thomas Massie recently noted that almost every Republican in Congress has an “AIPAC guy” who pushes Israel’s agenda. AIPAC and, often, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) serve as extensions of the Israeli government, pressuring U.S. politicians to act in Israel’s interest, often against the will of American citizens.

Israel wouldn’t exist as it does today without the financial and military support of the U.S. Yet, despite all the help, Israel consistently votes against the U.S. in the UN, including on issues related to Ukraine and other key geopolitical matters. This is a slap in the face to American taxpayers and a clear sign that Israel is more interested in using us than in aligning with us.

UN Resolution on Ukraine (2022): Israel abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution that sought to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council following its invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. voted in favor of the resolution, but Israel’s abstention drew attention given its close ties to both the U.S. and Russia.

Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (2020): The U.S. has consistently opposed the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, while Israel has also opposed the treaty, but in some discussions around nuclear disarmament and regulation, Israel’s stance hasn’t fully aligned with U.S. interests, particularly in terms of how to address nuclear weapons capabilities in the region.

Time to End the Special Relationship

There is absolutely nothing redeemable about the U.S. relationship with Israel. We are funding apartheid, ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and espionage against our own country. It’s time to stop sending billions of dollars to Israel, which uses that money to perpetuate violence, destabilize the region, harm U.S. interests, and undermine our national security.

As long as the U.S. continues to bankroll Israel, we are complicit in its crimes. Israel cannot continue its violent occupation, apartheid system, and destabilizing behavior without our support. The time has come to sever this toxic relationship, reclaim our foreign policy independence, and stop being dragged into Israel’s wars and internal conflicts.

It’s time to put America’s interests first and stop funding Israel’s no good, very bad behavior.

Featured image via public domain

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Shay Maz

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Shay Maz has been a political writer for many years. This is a pseudonym for writing; if you need to contact her - you may do so here: https://x.com/SheilaGouldman

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