Well said.

This should have been done years ago.

I should be a national holiday in israel when we tell the US to keep their stinking money!

How is that even a statement? If you really wana prove independance, then reject it all and maintain the same investment in the US

On 24.04 2010 IHT, during Bibi"s visit to Washington, IHT published in it"s editorial an article from "Haaretz". Seamed very strange to me because the article was about... Stas Meseznicov and his dislike of giving 215ml$ to Arab sector an some Shass staff. It was so obvious that someone from the "enlightened" "Haaretz" journalists and some of IHT toms friedmans agreed to intervene in Israel"s politics. My advice to Avi Trendo: send your article to Tom Friedman and ask him to publish it in IHT editorial!!!

http://www.actforamerica.org/ Join Brigitte Gabriel in her fight against racism, Islam and hatred! Join Act for America! and support Israel's Independence and future!

I couldn't agree more with this article. As a Jew and a Zionist I am deeply ashamed and embarrassed by this 'administration.' It's time someone calls the lie that the leftist revisionist Western agenda has, and their Orientalist romance with the Arabs. Bye bye Obama. Let's see what Israel can really do without the shackles that Washington places on it.

The article is right on the mark pertaining to this issue. It is time they understand that Israel can survive without their crap. America should also stop giving Egypt $4 billion a year. And America should stop giving away $700 billion Petrodollars a year to Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Arab Islamist-Jihadist states in the Middle East that use the money to fund Islamist-Jihadist terrorism around the world. It is time America becomes energy independent and uses these money to create jobs for Americans.

if israel can do without the aid, why taking the money"

is flawed. One thing he forgets, as an American, he will never live the consquences of his ideas. Ultimately the fate of compromise must be made by the Israelis not Americans, as it will be we who pay the price, whatever it will be, and we who will reap the consequences and risks.

Trengo's argument can be taken further. Israel is actually losing out on Billions of business in exports to China, because the US blocks that business. An example is fhe Phalcon system. Bill Clinton wished to block a deal for an initial $250M, which would have become worth several Billions. Clinton suggested that US will reduce its aid by 250M for this deal . The foolish Ehud Barak canceleld the deal, and had to pay compensation to China for $250M, and lose future contracts. So who benefits from the Aid?

As a jew, a sionist and left wing I cannot agree more. I am glad to read such articles, it's about time. Let us give back the money to the US, let us get back our boys from the US silicon valley to work in our silicon valley, Haifa, Ber-Sheva, Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv... Let us open our market to China, India, Russia. Let us help there palestinian industrials to build a real economy we will deal with. The peace will come, and I am sure that it will be no time for the palestinians to become our closest partners and friends, in building a nice life for everybody, west of Iarden.

.In 1845 where there was nothing called "Israel" the Palestinian economy was transformed from subsistence to a market economy, resulting in its involuntary integration into the world economic system....Both Palestinian Christians and Muslims were partners in this endeavor which also fostered a secular Palestinian identity.... Palestinians raised cotton, wheat, barley, and sesame, as well as, the inevitable olive trees which provided oil . Palestinians, additionally, made textiles and glass wares for export. ...the city of Nablus executed a perfectly credible adaptive feat by switching to the manufacture of soap ...Hebron developed its exquisite glass-making industry...And much more in Jerusalem and Jaffa.....Palestine's prosperity attracted large numbers of immigrants, such as Circassians and Bosnians from Europe and Magrebis from North Africa, all of whom easily assimilated. By contrast as is well-known, but "Israel" which is built on the ruins of Palestine is for Jews only!! the situation where we are today an essential part of it is the Zionist project, who spent a lot of our dreams.... Mr. Trengo Tell your government to get out of us, in everything from land, sea and air and you'll see the state of Palestine can compete even European countries, but to stifle us and then wants us to produce and rely on ourselves, not Sir Trengo We do not claim we're supernatural we're natural human beings able to succeed and there are thousands of success stories, even under difficult circumstances last note .... very ignorant Mr. Trengo If you think that the" Israelis" are able to breathe alone, without oxygen U.S. The issue is not economic aid just as you think it is much more BYE BYE

As an American and new immigrant to Israel, I was quite pleased to see this dressing down of Friedman, a man who is regarded as an expert despite being consistently wrong on most things. While I agree that the impact of the aid is overstated, the author is apparently ill informed about economics and seems to miss the point that money is fungible. While much of the aid does subsidize U.S. arms manufacturers, had Israel not received the aid, it would have to fork over an additional $2.31 billion of its own funds to purchase similar military wares, money that could have otherwise been spent on education, infrastructure...

Israel has no need for this aid, we are not 3rd world beggers like the Arab nation, if they didnt get oil from alla they beg europe and usa for hand outs. We dont need the usa charity, indirectly it only helps the usa, directly it only hurts israel, as they shove it in our face every time we build a house in our capital jerusalem

this article Its usually posters who hate Israel and of course Jews

to China to co operate in Military Technology .Im sure China would do a BETTER deal and subsidise just like USA . Why not work with them and tell Hussein O to stick his Admin's money where sun dont shine. China has PLENTY $$$$-MUCH better and more than USA . Also INDIA . Bring our guys from Silicon Valley . Send them to Shenzeng and Bangalore Those two are Winners! Im sick of the" US Taxpayer " bleatings of new US third world immigrants who write ridiculous letters Chinese HIGH OFFICIALS have repeatedly said how high they regard Israel .

Finally somebody with charisma and guts. Avi Ytengo must be congratulted for telling these sick anti semetic americans that the supposed aid is a bluff. The so called aid is only garentees for loans that Israel pays back with heavy interest.

This issue was addressed. Israel has lost out on billions in sales (to China) due to American pressure, stopped developing competing systems (such as the Lavi), etc. Bibi used to be for ending the dependence on the USA. It is time for this to happen.

sorry there was never a recognised land called palastine in those days.. and there has been Jews in Jerusalem for thousands of years, hundreds of years before Islam. before it was a british madat, it belonged to diffrent empires. but think and dream up what u will. you and your imagination is the reason we aint gona have peace.

by money, everything. Israeli Jews are Jews first, and for us, as for much if not most of the world, not everything is measured by money. Life and liberty are two values that are more important to us, Jews, than money, and that includes the life of Israel's citizens, the life of the nation-state of the Jewish people, Israel, and it liberty. Friedman, being a Diaspora Jew, by choice, obviously can't appreciate these values. I feel sorry for him and people like him!

Good! As an American tax payer, I need an Israeli refund. MY money should not be used to subsidize occupation/war crimes!

If we take your statements as factual then we can only assume the Palestinians are an anomaly in the Arab world. From what I see here in Toronto Canada the Arab world are consumers NOT producers. Other than some specialty ethnic food products and Egyptian cotton goods, there are absolutely no products from the Arab Middle East to be found. Contrast that to Israeli products including pharmaceuticals, high tech computer gear, software etc. The Saudi's were so inept back in the 1980's they had to contract Bell Canada to build their entire telecomm infrastructure - they couldn't figure out how to do it themselves. Sorry, no disrespect but your fellow Palestinians demonstrated their business saavy to the world when they demolished those turnkey high tech greenhouse operations in Gaza gifted to them by James Wolfenshon and other donors. Funny, when Egypt controlled Gaza and Jordan controlled the West Bank (Pre June '67) I don't remember seeing any products from there in North America. It's nice to dream but seriously, who do you think you are kidding?

Yes, many in the US beleive that Israel survives solely because of US "aid" and without that aid Israel will not continue to exist. The best thing US can do for Israel is exactly what Obama is doing screw up the bileteral relations so badly and apply that aid to help pay for his Obama Care plan.

I'm sure the increasingly impoverished American tax payers will be more than glad to get their hard-earned dollars back. The question is when Israel is going to send the check back with a no thanks note attached. I bet never. This is only cheap talk.

any other country when it develops its OWN technologies. But as long as it copies the US tech it has to obey the rules. The Lavi system was not going anywhere and Israel knows it.

Instead of ending the aid cold turkey, we'll just keep building in the West Band until they finally snap and cut off the aid altogether. It kind of cuts Israel's out-of-pocket military expenses for the "transition period" and makes the move to self-reliance a little smoother. Hey, it would hurt to try! It would also help to have more faith in G-d. Israeli Jews, like Jews anywhere else, are not immune to straying from the Almighty. He's here for us and we need to remember that. Keep your nose clean and He'll take care of the rest.

who are hostile to Jews for one or other reason .President Obama represents the first leader of this growing population .Hence the shock horror of his behaviour towards Israel .It was to be expected . It behoves Israel to wean itself at least a little off this relationship. In 50 -100 years(maybe less) time the old traditional friends of Israel will be in a minority and the US will resemble any South American type state.