AMBASSADOR (RET.) YORAM ETTINGER -- Contrary to conventional wisdom, US-Israel relations do not constitute a one-way-street, but a mutually-beneficial two-way-street.
Israel is not a beneficiary of foreign aid, but a game-changing ally of the US, benefiting from an annual US investment, which has transformed Israel into a unique force and dollar multiplier for the US defense and aerospace industries and Armed Forces, as well as for the US Treasury (as documented below).
Thus, Israel saves the US many years of research and development (mega-billion dollars), enhances the global competitiveness of US defense products, bolsters the global leadership of the US’ defense and commercial technologies, expands US export and the US’ employment base, increases US income tax revenues, and bolsters the US national security.
Israel was the first country (in 2018) to use the Lockheed-Martin F-35 combat aircraft operationally. In fact, Israel has been a game-changing, battle tested laboratory and the research and development center for Lockheed-Martin, as it has been for dozens of US defense industries, which supply Israel with highly-appreciated advanced military systems.