Whatever happened to Israel being stable and independent economy.

No more money to non Zionist groups. No more child allowances to families that neither parent served in the I.D.F. No more alyah of the elderly or sick. If there was a defense tax of 100 shekels per month on all those that did not serve in the I.D.F and their families, then we could raise about 300 million shekels per month or more.That is over $1 billion per year.We could use that money to start to build our own fighter aircraft. Add to that the money given to non Zionist institutes as well as the child allowances and we do not need to take money from the U.S. Israel needs to be independent. We could also cut government by 50% and save money.

Oh yes, AIPAC is occupying congress, right? AIPAC gives what?about $10 Million bucks per 2 year election cycle. While the USA imports roughly 12 million barrels of Oil per day. That's about $400 Billion Dollars a day. So if money buys congress, what would have more influence? OPEC the Arab Oil group in on the $$400 Billion dollars per day, or AIPAC with only $10 Million Dollars per 2 year election cycle? Whoops!!! Your theory goes up in OIL. Case Closed. BTW, at $5 Billion dollars per year, if given to Israel, which it isn't. Comes to 18 cents per day for a family of four, based on a USA population of 300 million. Nothing that would affect the economy. So please, for the morons and haters out there, save it. Do the math and your case is not even a wisp of smoke.

Israel doesn't need US money, but Barak does. Without it, he loses the political leverage he holds within the Israeli government insofar as the strings attached to the US aid benefit his political agenda. It's time for this Barak to go and to terminate US foreign aid to ALL countries. The US cannot afford it and these recipients should be looking at paying back the money, not asking for more. Maybe then they'll get their .... together!

can only be spent on american products? thus putting it straight back to the american people? instead of it being wasted on some government project, it goes to the factories in america. everybody wins.

your comment requires correction regarding an event 41 years ago that was resolved by the US govt 23 yrs ago. This is from wikipedia. you are entitled to your characterization but Israel did acknowledge it's error: "In May 1968, the Israeli government paid US$3,323,500 as full payment to the families of the 34 men killed in the attack. In March 1969, Israel paid a further $3,566,457 in compensation to the men who had been wounded. On 18 December 1980, it agreed to pay $6 million as settlement for the U.S. claim of $7,644,146 for material damage to the Liberty itself.[8] On December 17, 1987, the issue was officially closed by the two governments through an exchange of diplomatic notes.[9]

how old is egypt? pakistan gets more than israel...afghanistan? the palestinians get almost as much now (on and off the books)

63 talkbacks! only ehud barak, a narcissist of the highest order unites all: Jews, non-Jews, pro-Israel, anti-Israel, the first time I have ever seen such unanimity. Everyone agreed he was absurd in his comment and timing. Probably was misquoted as he seeks to divide people every day.

and the average working Israaeli is being taxed to the poor house then what is the Israeli government doing with the money? That's the question I would ask if I were a working Israeli. I know that most of the money is used to pruchase American military weapons but just how much armament do you need? your so-called enemies have no real air forces. They have no nuclear weapons. They have no real missle defense systems and barely any anti-aircraft systems. Why do you need so much? Are your politicians really syphoning off some of this money for their Swiss bank accounts?

late tamir's husband rosen criticized barak during the carmel fire calling him disconnected as he did nothing and was aloof. The uS is carrying a hugh debt. Why would you seek 20 billion which is real chutzpah. Israel gets 3 billion for which it gives the US a lot and saves american GI lives. The 3 billion is reliable and that's it. israel's problems is not money per se but proper allocation of resources like for the 6-7 fire airfleet, for the accelerated development of antimissile systems and additional batteries of drones etc. When ben-eliezer, a former general and defense minnister says barak is pathetic, it means something. israel's real problems deal with trainning forces to fight asymmetrically and fast and get ready and not as livni's halutz said-look the enemy in the eye and go get him. hezbollah is well concealed, and booby trapped and operates from several directions making a direct thrust sucicidal even for sampso. israelis-are you listening or am I talking to a wall. The heartache of 2006 , rocket fire, marmora and the carmel fire could have been dealt with better. And you cannot have livni and beilin in authority or you will have what you had under olmert. if israel votes for livni, then israel is doomed as she has no understanding of military and security matters other than babysitting in an empty apartment in paris.

One often wonders if Barak is secretly an enemy agent...

How much of a kickback will this traitor get for the west bank and 20 billion arms deal

All for it. Best investment we can make against our enemies. Creates thousands of US jobs as well.

I love Israel, I've been active in AIPAC for quite some time now, and no one can accuse me of ever being one to attempt to "belittle Israel" or anything along those lines, but doesn't anyone in Israel ever start to get even the slightest bit embarassed by these sorts of things? "Things are bad... give us some money?" "Uh oh... things seem to be even worse now. We need more money!" Are Israelis ever going to finally become of the mindset that Israel really is an independent country and that after a while it might start to look just blatantly pathetic if continues to come off as so shamelessly and publicly reliant on another country for its security??

I am a strong supporter of Israel and normally, I do not like to comment on Israeli leaders or the various stands of different political parties within Israel because I think that is for Israeli society to decide by voting. But if I were an Israeli, I would vote Barak out of office so fast that it would make a person's head spin. The only person more clueless than Ehud Barak is Barak Obama. (Maybe the name Barak should be retranslated to mean clueless.) Barak declares in one breath that Israel needs a quantative military edge, but in the same breath he is willing to concede a quantative military edge by giving away Jewish land and not recognizing that the Arab upheaval is going towards Islamic fundamentalism - not modernity (as he claims.) This is the same fellow that repeatedly offered Arafat almost 100% of Judea & Samaria only to have Arafat order the murder of 1,000's of Israelis. On top of that, the US is in economic trouble and is looking to cut spending and here is Barak asking for over six times as much money. In my opinion, the only bigger idiot than Barak is Livni. This fellow has no conception of reality.

confused. It's the arab dictators who are STEALING and TRANSFERING MONEY in Swiss Accounts, not Israeli's. Nice Try Though.

Their politicians are cutting their local programs left and right but can send 20B to their favorite spoiled grown up kid. Wake up yankees!!!!!!!!!!!

article, Ehud Barak looks like a tamed overfed puppydog next to a snarling tigress (Hillary Clinton). Sometimes the image says it all.

I know you always turn a blind eye to the truth, but for the record, Israel does obey international law. Incessant repeating of the opposite does not make the opposite true. You might also read #30 and #42. But careful, they tell the truth. You might not like that.

Israel gets

peace-deal-with-egypt-foreign-aid from-the-US... Barak is a fool who has no political future. even the left is tired of him.

Perhaps, jabo-wokky, if your country didn't want to steal land which DOES NOT belong to you, perhaps if you were TRULY interested in peace with your neighbours, perhaps you could justify extanding your collective hand for more welfare. But you can't.

One problem he was never elected into office or his post. Kinda hard to vote him out.

Make Jet fighters and missiles? In Israel or here in the USA? If we make them, and Israel among other countries buy our weapons...I believe the USA is one of the largest weapons supplier in the world...does that create jobs, here in the USA? Now with the unrest in the Middle East, who is closest to action, us or Israel? If you were Israel, do think it would be a wise move to boost your defensive capabilities now, or wait until your actually attacked? What make you think the USA is giving Israel the weapons for free? Are they? Or is it just helping Israel get loans at better percentage rate...by co-signing the loan... to make payments on the weapons? First answer those questions, then shut up, even if you are active with AIPAC, which somehow I doubt. Based on your ignorant remarks.

We don't steal what belongs to us in the first place, I challenge to prove otherwise I will gave you the same opportunity that I gave to many of your brothers, Perhaps with your vast knowledge of history & event, you can be the sole whiz kid to come up some answers Let's see if you brain works as well as your computer Frankly in your case, I think the computer has the brains that you lack I'll be a sport; just answer two or three, keep in mind that if fail to answer it only proves you're a motor mouth sans brains When was the country of Palestine founded and by whom? Where did the Palestinian people originate from? What were Palestine's borders? Who were its neighbors? What language did the Palestinians speak? What writing did they use? What manuscripts or records did they leave whether written or engraved? What was their religion? Where are their temples? What monuments attest to their existence? What was the name of their capital? Name its other major cities. What was their currency called? Are there any coins that attest to their economy? What was Palestine's form of government? Name its kings or rulers. What are their achievements? When you're finished not answering, return to the corner and put your dunce cap on again, we wouldn't be able to recognize you without it

for Self- Defense Some of our lousy neighbors, such as Iran, have stated repeatedly that they want to destroy us Would you prefer that Israel be forced to use nukes instead of convntional arms?