Following Iran's attack, more US aid is needed for Israel - opinion

• Published date: 17 April 2024
• Author: MARTIN OLINER
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The use of planes, Arrow missiles and the David's Sling missile defense system to shoot down more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles cost somewhere between NIS 4 billion and 5 b., Brig.-Gen. Reem Aminoach, a former financial adviser to the IDF chief of staff, told the Ynet news site

Aminoach noted that every single Arrow missile fired costs $3.5 million. He lamented that the Israeli Treasury was holding up ordering new planes from the US – even just to replace existing ones.

The staggering attack on the Jewish state should have provided a much-needed wake-up call to anyone who doubted that Israel is still facing an immediate existential threat from the Islamic Republic. Unfortunately, too many members of Congress needed that wake-up call. The Senate cleared a $95 billion foreign aid bill to help arm Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan in February, while the House has voted on a bill to aid only Israel.

It should be irrelevant whether the military aid for Israel is accompanied by allocations to other countries. What matters is that Israel receives the aid as soon as humanly possible.

The bills have been stalled for way too long over political technicalities. The very politically divisive Ukraine question has been particularly intrusive and counterproductive.

Biden and Schumer at fault

President Joe Biden and Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer are at fault for conditioning aid for Israel on a completely unrelated conflict far away. Some Republicans have vowed to oppose Ukraine aid and have conditioned the aid on closing America's southern border, another issue with no relevance.

This is the time to correct those mistakes. Israel is temporarily enjoying the moral high ground for not immediately responding to the mass attack. We know too many examples from the past, including October 7, to know that it will not last very long.

Seeing how quickly Israel lost support for its war effort should persuade the Jewish state to retaliate against Iran during...