Israel will benefit enormously and Americans will bear the burden
It is almost certain that Section 224 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2027 will be approved by the House of Representatives next week, following the failure last Thursday in the House Armed Services Committee to pass an amendment led by Congressman Ro Khanna (Democrat) and Thomas Massie (Republican) seeking to remove it. The NDAA now awaits the anticipated approval of President Donald Trump, a staunch supporter of Israel, to become law. Unfortunately, Section 224 establishes the “United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative”, which merges US and Israeli military research and development efforts, including shared work on weapons co-production, licensing deals, AI, directed energy, data systems, and missile defense technologies. This initiative lays the groundwork for ongoing bilateral partnerships encompassing a broad spectrum of military-industrial cooperation. The director overseeing this effort is likely to be Israeli, and the entire $1.5 trillion funding request for the US military in 2027 will come from American taxpayers.
This initiative will effectively fuse US military operations with those of Israel, describing the relationship as an equal partnership involving Israeli governmental bodies and the Israeli Defense Force. Complete intelligence exchange and collaborative planning will influence how the US Department of Defense acquires weaponry and sets strategic priorities. This arrangement probably explains Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent hints that Israel might eventually abandon the automatic $3.8 billion annual assistance from the US Treasury—a policy introduced under President Barack Obama—since a larger share of resources is secured through Section 224 with support from key allies in Washington.
Supporters of Section 224 often highlight Israel as a key “ally and best friend,” despite it not holding that status officially; they overlook that Israel is also considered by many as a genocidal state, with leaders condemned globally for war crimes, and widely disliked worldwide. This animosity extends to the United States, Israel’s main supplier of weapons, finances, and diplomatic backing. The devastating conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon are sustained by the backing of US Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Moreover, the Senate is pursuing a similar path through the FY27 Intel Authorization bill, which would legally require the US to share intelligence with Israel. Sponsored by Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a prominent Israel supporter, the S-4615 bill includes Section 622 titled “US-Israel intelligence sharing enhancement.” This section aims to codify permanent national security commitments to Israel, including a policy to maintain and strengthen strategic partnerships, expand intelligence cooperation, and preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge.
When the Intel Authorization Bill reaches the Senate floor, it is expected to pass easily due to the Republican majority and the Democrats who strongly advocate for Israel. Additionally, legislation is advancing to grant US military benefits—such as educational and healthcare advantages—to American citizens, many of whom hold dual Israeli nationality, who serve in the Israeli military. These perks are not available to Americans who have not served in the US armed forces. Israel’s elevation to a special status within American national security and defense realms is unmatched by any of Washington’s NATO allies. This exclusive relationship, however, is widely regarded as highly risky because it prioritizes Israeli security interests and Middle Eastern territorial ambitions over the broader, more complex global threats facing the US. Catering to Israeli demands may ultimately weaken America’s security.
Remarkably, the threat Israel poses to US national security by being treated as an equal partner in defense planning receives little attention in mainstream American media, likely due to increased government efforts to label critics as “antisemites” and criminalize opposition to Israel. This reflects the sway of the Israel Lobby, its financed media outlets, and wealthy Jewish benefactors. Nevertheless, alternative media has voiced significant alarm, and some of these warnings have even broken into major news outlets, indicating internal hesitation about Section 224. The New York Times, known as a source of intelligence community leaks, published a notable article addressing Israeli espionage against the US shortly after Section 224 was debated in Congress.
The Times piece, titled “Pentagon Sees Growing Espionage Threat From Israel,” reports that the Defense Department has raised counterintelligence threat levels to the highest concerning Israel, which has allegedly intercepted US-Iran negotiation communications. The article outlines how US personnel collaborating with Israelis domestically and abroad have had their communications tapped via covert listening devices implanted by Israeli agents. These espionage efforts extend to intercepting calls and messages related to Iran negotiations both at the source and receiving ends in Washington.
In fact, Israel has long been among the top three foreign spying threats to the US since the 1950s, frequently ranking first in FBI and Defense Department reports. Beyond espionage, Israeli covert and false flag operations have sometimes resulted in American casualties. One infamous example is the June 8th, 1967 Israeli attack on the US Navy’s USS Liberty in international waters, which killed 34 crew members and was subsequently covered up by Presidents Lyndon B Johnson and Robert McNamara.
Israeli intelligence operatives, potentially including Netanyahu during his time in the US, orchestrated the unauthorized removal of enriched uranium from a Jewish-owned metallurgical firm in Pennsylvania and acquired components from California that enabled Tel Aviv to develop its nuclear arsenal. When President John F Kennedy attempted to halt this progress, he was assassinated, possibly with Mossad’s involvement. Additionally, Jonathan Pollard, the most damaging spy in US history, provided Israel with some of the most sensitive intelligence ever gathered by a foreign entity. Pollard is now a candidate for the Knesset, publicly naming Egypt and Turkey as the likely next targets after Palestinians, Lebanese, and Syrians.
The timing of the Times article seems calculated, possibly serving as a warning to pro-Israel factions from within the intelligence community, traditionally linked to the Department of Defense. Nevertheless, Israel appears to have prevailed and will formalize its role within American intelligence, defense, and national security frameworks. Given Israel’s ruthless tactics and Washington’s willingness to overlook mass atrocities, this development is disastrous for US interests and foreshadows deeply troubling outcomes.
Original article: www.unz.com
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