Israel–United States relations
Bilateral relations / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The United States of America was the first country to recognize the nascent State of Israel.[1] Since the 1960s, the American Israeli relationship has grown into a mutually beneficial alliance in economic, strategic and military aspects.[1] The United States has provided strong support for Israel. It has played a key role in the promotion of good relations between Israel and its neighbouring Arab states—notably Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt—while holding off hostility from countries such as Syria and Iran. In turn Israel provides a strategic American foothold in the region as well as intelligence and advanced technological partnerships in both the civilian and military worlds. Relations with Israel are an important factor in the U.S. government's overall foreign policy in the Middle East, and the U.S. Congress has placed considerable importance on the maintenance of a supportive relationship.
Israel |
United States |
---|---|
Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. | Embassy of the United States, Jerusalem |
Envoy | |
Ambassador Mike Herzog | Ambassador Jack Lew |
Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid: up to February 2022, the US had provided Israel US$150 billion (non-inflation-adjusted) in assistance.[2] the United States' first free trade agreement was with Israel, in 1985. The free trade agreement with Israel creates the most American jobs per export dollar of all of the United States' free trade agreements.[3] In 1999, the US government signed a commitment to provide Israel with at least US$2.7 billion in military aid annually for ten years; in 2009 it was raised to $3 billion; and in 2019 raised to a minimum of US$3.8 billion.[2] Since 1972, the US has also extended loan guarantees to Israel to assist with housing shortages, absorption of new Jewish immigrants and economic recovery.[2] Moreover, Israel is the United States' 23 largest trading partner while the United States is Israel's largest trading partner; two-way trade totaled nearly $50 billion by 2023.[4] 300 American mostly technology oriented companies have set up R&D centers in Israel, whilst 650 Israeli technology companies operate in the United States.[5][6] Israeli American partnerships tend to contribute to relatively niche sectors of the American economy with the effect multiplying positively toward the wider economy.[7]
During the cold war Israel was a vital counterweight to Soviet influence in the region.[8] In addition to financial and military aid, the US provides large-scale political support, having used its United Nations Security Council veto power 42 times against resolutions condemning Israel, out of 83 times in which its veto has been used. Between 1991 and 2011, out of the 24 vetoes invoked by the US, 15 were used to protect Israel.[9][10] As of 2021[update], the United States remains the only permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to have recognized the Golan Heights as non-occupied Israeli sovereign territory, recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and moved its embassy there from Tel Aviv in 2018.[11] Israel is designated by the United States as a major non-NATO ally, the only country in the Middle East other than Egypt to have this designation.
Bilateral relations have evolved from an initial American policy of sympathy and support for the creation of a Jewish homeland in 1948, to a partnership that links a small but powerful state with a superpower attempting to balance influence against competing interests in the region, namely Russia and its allies.[12][13] Some analysts maintain that Israel is a particularly strategic ally for the United States, and that relations with the former strengthen the latter's influence in the Middle East.[14] They argue the military foothold offered by Israel justifies the expense of American military aid, referring to Israel as "America's aircraft carrier in the Middle East".[15][16]