Israel is poised to become the second largest net recipient of US financial assistance, following a record request for $10 billion in emergency aid this week.
According to officials familiar with the request cited by The New York Times on Monday, the Israel aid package has garnered bipartisan support in the US Congress. It is anticipated that the package will be brought to a vote in the weeks following President Joe Biden’s solidarity trip to Israel on Wednesday.
If approved, the total aid granted by the United States to Israel over the past two decades would significantly exceed the financial support provided to Ukraine during the same period. This would position Israel as the second largest recipient of US aid, trailing only Afghanistan.
According to data from the Department of State, Israel has received $63.1 billion in US aid from 2001-2023, averaging $3 billion per year. In contrast, Ukraine, ranking fifth, has received $30.4 billion, with most of this amount granted in the past two years. As of late September, Afghanistan has been the top recipient with $111.7 billion in US funding.
Over the past 20 years, the United States has distributed hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to its allies. Iraq received $64.4 billion, Egypt $33.6 billion, and Jordan $23.5 billion. Pakistan and Ethiopia each received $17.5 billion, Kenya $13.3 billion, and Colombia $12.2 billion.
U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel: An Overview
According to data from the Congressional Research Service, Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II, with the United States providing $158 billion in bilateral assistance and missile defense funding to date. This robust support reflects shared strategic goals in the Middle East, a mutual commitment to democratic values, and historical ties dating from U.S. support for the creation of Israel in 1948.
In 2016, the U.S. and Israeli governments signed their third 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on military aid, pledging to provide $38 billion in military aid ($33 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) grants plus $5 billion in missile defense appropriations) to Israel from FY2019 to FY2028.
Israel is the first international operator of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Department of Defense’s fifth-generation stealth aircraft, considered to be the most technologically advanced fighter jet ever made. To date, Israel has purchased 50 F-35s in three separate contracts, funded with U.S. assistance, and has taken delivery of 36.
For FY2023, Congress authorized $520 million for joint U.S.-Israel defense programs (including $500 million for missile defense) in the FY2023 James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act. Per the terms of the MOU, Congress appropriated $3.8 billion for Israel (FMF and missile defense) in the FY2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, and added $98.58 million in funding for other cooperative defense and nondefense programs.
The foreign aid data in this report are compiled by the Congressional Research Service from a number of resources, including USAID’s U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants (also known as the “Greenbook”), CRS communications with the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and annual State Department and USAID Congressional Budget Justifications.
Table 1 below provides a breakdown of total U.S. foreign aid obligations to Israel from 1946-2023:
| Fiscal Year | Military Aid | Economic Aid | Missile Defense | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-2020 | $104,506.200 million | $34,347.500 million | $7,411.409 million | $146,265.110 million |
| 2021 | $3,300.000 million | – | $500.000 million | $3,800.000 million |
| 2022 | $3,300.000 million | – | $1,500.000 million | $4,800.000 million |
| 2023 | $3,300.000 million | – | $500.000 million | $3,800.000 million |
| Total | $114,406.200 million | $34,347.500 million | $9,911.409 million | $158,665.110 million |
Notes: The Greenbook figures do not include missile defense funding provided by the Department of Defense.
According to USAID Data Services as of January 2023, in constant 2021 U.S. dollars (inflation-adjusted), total
U.S. aid to Israel obligated from 1946-2023 is an estimated $260 billion.
The United States’ strong bilateral relations with Israel are based on robust domestic U.S. support for Israel and its security; shared strategic goals in the Middle East; an avowed mutual commitment to democratic values; and historical ties dating from U.S. support for the creation of Israel in 1948.
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