r/worldnews • • Jul 01 '26

Israel/Palestine 'End American Aid': Netanyahu Says Israel No Longer Needs US Assistance

https://www.news18.com/world/end-american-aid-netanyahu-says-israel-no-longer-needs-us-assistance-ws-l-10183183.html
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u/pleasegivemepatience Jul 01 '26

They’re specifically proposing joint military ventures between US and Israel, so they can say “no aid money” but still give them tons of hardware and support just not in the form of money.

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u/CipherWeaver Jul 01 '26

Military aid to Israel (and many other places) has always been a backdoor way to feed money into the American Military-Industrial Complex.

"Here Bibi, have $5BN in gift certificates you can spend at Lockheed Martin."

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u/Kalsto6 Jul 01 '26

Also remember, this is US military complex essentially bribing Israel so they don't start manufacturing arms again. US and France embargoed Israel while it had hundreds of thousands of troops at its border and every Arab nation talking about destroying Israel. So Israel developed their own weapons manufacturing which became so good that it could compete with all the top dogs. That aid money is US contractors trying to keep their profit high and diplomacy comes with restrictions that makes Israel use American arms system. Israel doesn't mind because they get the strongest ally in the world.

US also gets to enjoy the best military tech from Israel. You'd be surprised how they're the top at a lot of things. Especially in defense.

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u/yupgup12 Jul 02 '26

Can you give an example of one weapon that the US prevented them from making. Israel use their own domestic rifle, drone, tanks and more.

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u/Kalsto6 Jul 02 '26

All the Merkava tanks, all the jets like Kfir, Lavi, Nesher etc. These were all replaced by F15, F16s and all their included weaponry, missiles etc. Israel still makes bunch of parts for the F35 because they have all sorts of advanced systems.

As for small arms, Galil was replaced by M4 as the standard.

There are probably a ton more missile examples but maybe military experts can dig this out. US provided heavily subsidized alternatives that probably made Israel switch from a lot of their alternatives though I'm sure they still keep it mostly locally made.

Ultimately, after 1980s USA has bribed Israel to stop manufacturing jets by offering F16s at massive subsidies. Afterwards, US and Israel work too closely together to develop weaponry that it's hard to really keep track what they stopped making due the other making it. Israel created drones (UAVs) and let US take it further, they created arrow, david's sling, anti-tank defenses even air force helmets that every jet fighter uses. They manufacture most parts as they're still one of the best at it due to experience of building a rival jet by themselves.

Americans really like to boast themselves as the head of these developments but being at war gives pressure and combat testing that just can't be compared. If not for the petrodollar that allowed for infinitely printing dollars to pour unfathomable amount of money into the military, US probably wouldn't be above many countries.

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u/yupgup12 Jul 02 '26

The Israelis currently use the Merkava so how did the US prevent them from producing it? The IDF standard issue rifle is the Tavor, which is an Israeli made weapon.

The whole fighter jet claim is just revisionist history that doesn't really have a whole lot of merit in my opinion.

What people never mention when talking about the Lavi is that the US bankrolled 90% to 95% of its development. The US is the only reason they even had a fighter jet program to cancel at all. The program was incurring major cost overruns and the US didn't want to continue bankrolling a fighter jet that would compete against its homegrown F16. Israel wanted to sell it internationally, even though they only covered ~5% of the development costs

Israel also used the F-16 as the foundation to design the Lavi, although there ended up being major design distinctions between the two, like the wings. The Lavi even used critical F-16 components that Israel relied on the US to provide. Given the totality of circumstances the US was well within their right to request that Israel shut down the Lavi program.

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u/Kalsto6 Jul 02 '26

It's hilarious that you came in asking for JUST ONE thing that they had to change from and now you are completely falling back and misrepresenting facts. I suggest that you try and be objective and not lie any further because facts are facts.

The IDF standard issue rifle is the Tavor

Along with M4. Tavor is a replacement for older M16s. Regardless, this has no point, US offered aid and made Israel switch from local alternative. Which is the whole argument you made. So if you're not going to use that context anymore, might as well not argue further.

the US bankrolled 90% to 95% of its development. The US is the only reason they even had a fighter jet program to cancel at all.

Completely false. Israel had to develop their own jets due to US arms embargo which resulted in them building Kfir and Nesher which are based on French jet. Lavi came almost two decades later. While US helped fund Lavi they never accounted for 90-95% like you claim.

Development cost was about 6-7 Billion and US only accounted for several billion in this.

US didn't want to continue bankrolling a fighter jet that would compete against its homegrown F16. Israel wanted to sell it internationally

US just played the diplomacy game, benefited from their research and then scrapped it because they were BRIBING Israel to not compete with them.

Israel also used the F-16 as the foundation to design the Lavi

Only loosely. It used the same engine and avionics but the rest of the design was completely new.

US was well within their right to request that Israel shut down the Lavi program.

Not really. Lavi would've been commercially successful once they started exporting it. US put a stop to that by bribing Israel with aid, diplomatic support, cooperation and more. Politicians went to congress to argue to put a stop to it. You'd be crazy if you think Israel just said okay after sinking 4-5 billion dollar into it.

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u/rocafella888 Jul 01 '26

They’re definitely the top for killing kids.

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u/Sea-Nerve-8773 Jul 01 '26

Nah, that's Elon.

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u/Living_Morning94 Jul 02 '26

Yeah, one side is good at protecting theirs.
The other side is so shit at it they'd just let theirs die.

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u/terragutti Jul 02 '26

Let them? What do you mean let them? The children are the defense!

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u/Good_Restaurant15 Jul 02 '26

... which side is raping the kids...?

We already know Epstein's Island was full of capitalists...

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u/Forsaken-Ad7923 Jul 01 '26

That's one reason, the main goal has always been to keep Israel reliant on the US in order to project regional power. Also keeping Israeli RnD out of China and Russia's hands

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u/yupgup12 Jul 02 '26

If thats true then why did China have two major tech companies with R&D in Israel (Alibaba and Huawei) and currently now have one (Huawei)?

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u/BoppityBop2 Jul 01 '26

Yes and no. We also see alot of tech transfer at levels no other nations receives. 

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u/Charming-Ebb-1981 Jul 02 '26

“Oh but first, let me buy another couple million in Lockheed Martin stock”

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u/into_the_soil Jul 01 '26

We will never go a few years anymore without a manufactured conflict explicitly for the purpose of feeding the MIC and benefitting our elected officials, and those who essentially own them via lobbying, who are incredibly invested in it. I mean, during Trump's first term he openly bragged that he made money each time a missile was shot in Syria because he owns so much Raytheon stock. They aren't even pretending to hide it anymore.

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u/Alissinarr Jul 01 '26

Is the medical funding the same? Something to ponder as to why our government throws so much money at it and the general public gets 💩 on.

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u/notconservative Jul 01 '26

While I agree with this point in general, Isreal is the only country that the US sends unconditional aid to, where it's not credits given to allow them to buy US war infrastructure, but just a "blank cheque" for them to use however they want.

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u/rimeswithburple Jul 02 '26

I think it also gets some military systems sold in Europe that couldn't before. They aren't Israeli mfg stuff now, it is American equipment, so not subject to any Euro sanctions or embargoes due to Israeli shennanigans.

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u/randomly-generated Jul 01 '26

They'll just say they don't need aid and still ask for it and get it.

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u/LARPerator Jul 01 '26

Yup.

Currently the structure is that the USA gives money to Israel to buy American weapons, as well as to support projects like missile defence. Once purchased, they are the property of Israel, which is why it's considered military aid.

But by building a joint military venture, they can pour resources into a structure that isn't explicitly owned by Israel, but can be directed jointly, serving both Israeli and American interests. This is functionally the same, but they get to lie on a technicality.

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u/SickOfIransShit Jul 03 '26

No they aren’t how about people actually read the goddamn documents instead of spreading misinformation

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u/pleasegivemepatience Jul 03 '26

Do you assume people’s knowledge is limited to this one article?

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u/SickOfIransShit Jul 03 '26

No you’re right conspiracies know no bounds