US Aid to Israel Must Stop

Israel is a relatively tiny place, a country whose entire population of 7.5 million people is less than the number of people that live in New York City.

Since its formation in 1948, Israel has become a robust democracy and now boasts one of the highest per capita GDP's in the world ($26,800).

Given its highly-developed status, why does the US continue to provide it with annual aid in the billions of dollars?

The US has been its chief benefactor, providing Israel with upwards of $104 billion of aid since its formation, and in 2010 alone, is scheduled to give it almost $2.8 billion.

However, news today indicating that Israeli commandos stormed an aid flotilla, killing 10 people in the process, is enough of a prompting to cause the US to rethink its continued financial support of Israel.

Israel assuredly does not need US taxpayer money in order to survive as a country. Its annual stipend is an expensive symbolic gesture, meant to demonstrate to the world the support and commitment that the US has for Israel.

Removing Israel from the trough of US taxpayer dollars would force it to try harder to coexist with its Arab neighbors, and to come up with a good-faith, sensible plan to share its land with the Palestinians.