Key Points
- U.S. aid to Israel has become a significant political issue, with lawmakers increasingly divided over continued military assistance.
- Foreign aid represents less than 1% of total federal spending, while Israel receives roughly $3.3 billion annually in Foreign Military Financing under the current agreement.
- The current U.S.-Israel security assistance agreement covers 2019 through 2028, but annual funding remains subject to congressional appropriation.
- Criticism of Israeli policy or U.S. aid is not automatically antisemitic, but Christians should reject rhetoric that relies on anti-Jewish stereotypes or accusations of divided loyalty.
- Scripture calls Gentile Christians to humility toward the Jewish people and reminds believers of the Jewish roots of the Christian faith.
By ICEJ USA President Dr. Susan Michael
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, there are debates surrounding issues related to foreign aid and, in particular, aid to Israel. For Christians, the debate touches something deeper than politics—matters of stewardship, of keeping our word, and of God’s enduring purposes for the Jewish people.
Why Has U.S. Aid to Israel Become a Midterm Issue?
In July, 104 members of the House voted for a proposal to remove $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel from a spending bill—Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky joined by 103 Democrats. The amendment failed, but the vote revealed disagreement within the Democratic Party as well as across party lines.
The objections to foreign aid come from different directions. Some want the money spent at home, while others are troubled by how weapons are used. Supporters of aid point to Israel’s security needs and to what America receives in return. All these arguments deserve an honest hearing.
How Much Does the United States Actually Spend on Foreign Aid?
First, the dollars. Many Americans imagine foreign aid consumes a large part of our national budget. In a 2025 survey, people estimated, on average, that about a quarter went overseas.
Yet, in the 2025 budget year, recorded foreign aid accounted for less than 1% of total federal spending, about 67 cents out of every $100. Israel received about 7% of that aid. Its share of total federal spending was approximately 0.05%, about five cents per $100. Whatever else one thinks about the aid, it is not breaking the budget.
What Commitment Did the United States Make to Israel?
Second, the promise. This aid is part of a commitment the United States has already made. In 2016, the Obama administration signed a 10-year understanding with Israel covering 2019 through 2028—$3.8 billion a year in military assistance and missile defense. Congress still votes on the money each year, as it should, but the arrangement gives Israel the predictability any nation needs to plan its defense. Walking away from it early would not just shortchange Israel; it would tell every ally watching that America’s word lasts only as long as it is convenient.
That is not merely a geopolitical calculation—it is a biblical one. Psalm 15:4 honors the person who keeps a promise even when doing so is costly. Character—for nations and people—means taking our word seriously.
Where Does U.S. Military Aid to Israel Go?
Third, how does America benefit from aid to Israel? Under the current 10-year agreement, 92% of Israel’s main military aid grant must be spent directly in the United States—a figure that will reach 100% by 2028. The money buys American-made equipment and supports American factories and American jobs.
Consider the Raytheon–Rafael plant in East Camden, Arkansas. It produces the interceptors that stop incoming rockets for Israel’s Iron Dome system, along with a version for the US Marine Corps—Israeli technology and American manufacturing working side by side for the security of both countries.
The United States also benefits in many other ways, such as intelligence sharing, joint military training, and cooperation on missile and drone defense—and beyond defense in energy, healthcare, and water technology.
Then there is the matter of shared enemies. Israel stands on the front lines against the Iranian regime and its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah—groups that also target the United States. The Justice Department has described Iran’s campaign as aimed at weakening and ultimately destroying both countries. Hamas’ October 7 attack killed more than 40 Americans. And in March of this year, a federal jury convicted an Iranian-regime operative of plotting political assassinations on US soil.
This is why supporters argue that an “America First” foreign policy, properly understood, should recognize Israel as an asset rather than a liability. Critics respond that the benefits may not justify the expense and the risk of being drawn into other people’s wars. Both arguments should be weighed—but only with the facts in view. The reality is that we are in the same war, and Israel is on the front lines.
When Does Criticism of Israel Cross Into Antisemitism?
Now, a necessary distinction. Opposing an aid bill does not automatically make someone an antisemite. Massie says he opposes foreign aid generally and denies antisemitism.
But his words nevertheless need examination. In 2023, Massie posted a meme depicting Congress rejecting “American patriotism” and embracing “Zionism.” In his May 2026 concession speech, he joked that it “took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv.”
Read those messages carefully. They suggest that Israel’s supporters serve another country—an accusation of divided loyalty long leveled against the Jewish people. That is not a policy argument.
Nor is it only one party’s problem. When Rep. Ilhan Omar tweeted “It’s all about the Benjamin’s baby” in 2019, her own party’s leaders condemned it—for invoking the antisemitic trope of Jewish money buying politicians.
Marjorie Taylor Greene has done the same on the Republican side. In 2018, she circulated a conspiracy theory connecting California’s wildfires to “space solar generators” and the Rothschild banking family. The Rothschild family has long been a target of anti-Jewish conspiracy theories. In 2024, she claimed an antisemitism bill could punish Christians for believing Jesus was “crucified by the Jews.” The bill addressed discrimination in education and protected constitutional rights; it created no criminal penalty for Christian belief.
And rhetoric is not confined to Congress. In December 2025, the podcaster Candace Owens repeated the lie that Jews killed Christian children in religious rituals—the “blood libel,” a falsehood used for centuries to justify violence against Jews.
These are only a few examples, but they show how easily antisemitism can enter political debate wearing the clothes of legitimate criticism. It matters for Christians in particular, because everything we hold dear as Christians came to us through the Jewish people—including Jesus—and we should show them honor and appreciation and shun all forms of antisemitism.
What Does Scripture Ask Christians to Remember About the Jewish People?
There is a deeper reason why Christians cannot treat this as just another policy fight. Scripture presents the treatment of Israel and the Jewish people as something God Himself takes seriously.
In Genesis 12:3, God promises to bless those who bless Abraham and to curse those who curse him. Notice that the promise looks outward as well: through Abraham, all the families of the earth would be blessed.
Joel 3 paints a sobering picture of God’s judgment in light of how the nations treated His people. He gathers the nations into the Valley of Jehoshaphat—a name that means “the LORD judges”—and brings charges against them: scattering His people, dividing His land, selling them into slavery (vv. 2–6). He calls Israel His inheritance and the land His own.
Verse 14 describes “multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision.” Notice who actually renders the decision in that valley. Verse 12 says the Lord sits in judgment over the nations; they face His verdict for the cruelty described earlier. He is both the judge of injustice and, in verse 16, the refuge of His people.
Obadiah delivers much the same message to Edom—condemned for violence against Judah and for gloating over her suffering. Their cruelty and their indifference toward His people mattered to God.
And the New Testament leaves Gentile believers with no room for pride. Romans 11 warns us against arrogance toward the Jewish people and affirms that God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable. Our faith rests on a story that began long before us: through the Jewish people came the Scriptures, the prophets, and our Savior.
So as the election arguments grow louder, I hope followers of Jesus choose a more thoughtful and discerning path—one that tells the truth, keeps its promises, names antisemitic hatred when it appears, and remembers the real people behind the headlines.
Get a FREE downloadable resource “Why Israel Divides” at: https://icejusa.org/why-israel-divides
Frequently Asked Questions
How much military aid does the United States give Israel?
Under the current security assistance agreement, the United States provides $3.3 billion annually in Foreign Military Financing plus $500 million for cooperative missile-defense programs, subject to congressional appropriation.
How much of the federal budget goes to foreign aid?
Foreign-aid disbursements represented about 0.67% of total federal spending in fiscal year 2025.
Is opposing U.S. aid to Israel antisemitic?
No. People can oppose or support foreign aid for many policy reasons. Antisemitism involves hostility or prejudice toward Jewish people or the use of longstanding anti-Jewish stereotypes and conspiracy theories.
What does Romans 11 say about Christians and the Jewish people?
Romans 11 warns Gentile believers against arrogance and says God's gifts and calling regarding Israel are irrevocable.
Does the Bible require Christians to support a particular U.S. foreign-aid policy?
Scripture gives Christians principles concerning truth, justice, promise-keeping, humility, and treatment of the Jewish people, but applying those principles to specific government aid levels requires prudential political judgment.
For Further Reading
- The Uncomfortable Truth about the Rise in Global Antisemitic Sentiment
- How Christianity’s Jewish Roots Help Christians Resist Antisemitism
- Israel’s Covenant Story and Why It Matters to the Church
- The Biblical Foundation for Christian Support for Israel and the Jewish People
- Why Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories Demand a Christian Response
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Hill Street Studios
