Overboard for IsraelIn your editorial about the
"favored few" who will not see a reduction in federal
funding while the United States fights terrorism, you made
no mention of Israel's request for $14 billion in U.S.
loans. Such a request must be denied. Our first priority
should be to help Americans struggling during our economic
crisis. In addition, such massive new funding would fail to
account for the long- term political and strategic effects
on our national interests if we appear to be supporting
hard-line Israeli policies.
U.S. foreign aid is not an entitlement program. It is not
the responsibility of American taxpayers to rescue Israel
from its economic difficulties. Moreover, there has been no
public debate about this massive assistance request.
Americans have not had a chance to weigh in on how tax
dollars should be used.
In January 2001, U.S. and Israeli officials signed a
memorandum of understanding agreeing to scaled-down American
economic assistance. This agreement followed a 1996
announcement by Benjamin Netanyahu, then Israel's prime
minister, that Israel was decreasing its dependence on U.S.
aid. Approving this new request will increase such
dependence.
-- Aref A. Assaf, Denville
