I was startled to agree with the now-infamous antisemite Tucker Carlson when I heard him acknowledge on one of his podcasts that he has been wrong many times. One of those times was when he said that the United States gets “nothing” from Israel.
Recently, the U.S. Congress voted on whether it should continue to provide $3.5 billion in military aid to Israel. That vote was juxtaposed minutes later with a vote on whether the United States should continue to provide $2 billion in aid to Jordan. The vote on aid to Jordan was 421-6 in favor. On Israel, 103 Democrats joined a sole Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), in voting against aid to Israel. All of those Democrats voted for aid to Jordan.
Comparing the benefits the United States receives from Jordan and Israel, respectively, proves the absurdity of the vote against aid to Israel.
Israel is a leading military power. It has one of the top two air forces in the world, is a leader in missile defense, and has a legendarily skillful intelligence service. It is also a growing economic power, comparable to the most prosperous European economies.
Jordan’s GDP is $64.9 billion a year with an average annual salary under $6,000. Israel’s GDP stands at $719.85 billion a year, with an average annual salary of $70,000, despite the country being perpetually at war and Jordan possessing four times the landmass and a population of 1.5 million more people.
Outside of hosting a U.S. military base, Jordan provides virtually no security benefit to the United States and has not joined the fight against Iran despite being repeatedly attacked by it. Israel has fought with the United States against Iran and absorbed considerable damage as a result.
Israel’s positive influence on the world is evident from even an abbreviated list of companies, technological advancements and other innovations that have originated in the Jewish state and been developed by its citizens:
- PillCam (capsule endoscopy): A swallowable camera pill that revolutionized gastrointestinal diagnostics.
- ReWalk exoskeleton: A wearable robotic device that enables paraplegics to walk.
- Copaxone: a leading multiple sclerosis treatment.
- Cherry tomatoes (genetically modified to be long-lasting): developed at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
- Mobileye: A vision-based driver-assistance technology that underpins many autonomous vehicle systems (acquired by Intel).
- USB flash drive (disk-on-key): partially created by Israel’s M-Systems, changing portable storage forever.
- ICQ (early instant messaging platform): the forerunner of WhatsApp, Messenger and other chat apps.
- Waze: a mobile satellite navigation application later acquired by Google.
- Firewall and cybersecurity software: Check Point Software pioneered modern network security.
- Intel chips (Pentium and Centrino): partially developed in Israel.
- Iron Dome: A missile-defense system capable of intercepting short-range rockets with high accuracy.
- Drone technologies: Israel is a world leader in developing advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
- Drip irrigation: Netafim pioneered precision drip irrigation, now used worldwide to save water and boost crop yields.
- Water desalination and recycling: Israel leads the world in water reclamation, with advanced desalination plants and reuse systems.
- Solar-energy innovations: early development of solar-water heaters and modern solar tech.
- Face ID-style 3D-Sensing (PrimeSense): Technology behind Microsoft Kinect, later bought by Apple and used in iPhones.
- OrCam: A wearable AI device that helps visually impaired people read text and recognize faces.
Israel has around 100 companies listed on the NASDAQ, the fourth most in the world after the United States, Canada and China. Compare that to Jordan, which has one company listed on the NASDAQ.
Nine of the top 10 wealthiest companies in the world have offices in Israel. For many, they are the biggest offices outside the United States.
No Israeli or Jewish lobby somehow convinces America to provide aid to Israel when it is not in America’s best interests. It’s obvious that Israel provides enormous benefits to the United States, both economically and militarily.
