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Funding for Foreign Allies

The Israeli government has requested an additional ten billion dollars in emergency assistance from the United States as members of Congress scramble to put together an aid package that would combine military assistance to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan.



The White House and members of Congress are working on a package that would combine military assistance to Israel with aid to Ukraine and Taiwan.


Speaking during a visit to Tel Aviv on Sunday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said lawmakers had discussed supplying Israel with new and replacement ammunition, precision-guided bombs and Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits, which convert standard munitions into more accurate ones, according to the NYT.


The report did not provide further details on the requested $10 billion combined aid package.


On Monday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Washington could afford to support Israel's military needs as well as Ukraine's. She insisted that the financial resources of the U.S. are sufficient to back its allies abroad. However, the official acknowledged concerns over the potential economic impact of a wider conflict in the Middle East.


While top U.S. officials insist that both Israel and Ukraine can be supported, CNN reported last week that the Pentagon had called on defense manufacturers to ramp up production to make up for shortfalls in stockpiles due to arms being transferred to Kiev, in order to ensure it can supply Israel.


On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that his country was prepared for a ‘long war’ and would fight until it completely defeats Hamas. He added that Israel is willing to retaliate against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah if it attempts to interfere in the conflict”. -RT


True to form, when Kiev repeatedly demanded the Israeli regime provide Ukraine with weapons, including air defense systems, Tel Aviv consistently rejected all requests on the pretext that doing so would go against the interests of its national security.


Furthermore, while the United States has sold weapons to Taiwan since 1979, it wasn’t until earlier this year that the U.S. began providing arms to Taipei for free.


In what will undoubtedly be viewed as a major provocation by Beijing, incorporating Taiwanese aid as part of a spending package to fund two armed conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza is more likely to serve as a pretense for China to militarily combat the separatist forces ruling over Taipei rather than a measure to further American geostrategic interests in the Taiwan Strait.