Behind the numbers: The United States and Israel's enduring partnership

Do you know that the United States was the first country to officially recognize Israel in 1948? 

Since then, the US has been a staunch supporter of Israel. In numbers, Israel is the largest recipient of US foreign aid since World War II, totaling $158.6 billion (from 1946 to today, according to the Congressional Research Service).

The majority of this aid, $124.3 billion, has gone to the Israeli military sector. 

Currently, Israel receives over $3.8 billion in annual military assistance from Washington, which makes up about 16 percent of Israel's defense budget.

The US has also helped Israel develop its weapons industries, making it the tenth-largest arms exporter in the world. In fact, the US military has begun purchasing weapons from it in recent years.

Economically, the aid package totaled $34.3 billion in grants and loans used for infrastructure development, such as roads and electricity, as well as in other sectors like health, education, research, and development. 

In addition to this direct financial support, the United States accounts for about three-quarters of Israel's total foreign direct investment, valued at around $40 billion. 

Much of this investment is in the technology and cybersecurity sectors, turning Israel's Silicon Wadi into one of the world's leading technology hubs, akin to Silicon Valley in California.

In the tourism sector, visitors from the United States constitute the largest source of tourists, with around 900,000 visitors annually.

In the financial sector, US banks provided Israeli citizens with low-interest home loans since the 1970s and established branches in Tel Aviv.

Regarding trade, the United States is Israel's largest trading partner, with an annual trade value of more than $50 billion in goods and services.

It is important to note that the United States imports more from Israel than it exports to it (approximately $30 billion vs. $20 billion): goods include pharmaceuticals, medical devices, technology, diamonds, and, of course, military weapons.

What is the significance of this extensive American support for Israel? 

This is a position expressed by Biden 37 years ago, which sums up to what extent Israel is a strategic and fundamental need for America.