US' aid to Israel should stop

Netanyahu closed out his campaign with a vow to oppose a Palestinian state, reneging on his nominal endorsement of a two-state solution in 2009. Netanyahu also vowed to expand the illegal West Bank settlements and issued a last-minute plea to supporters denouncing a high turnout of Arab voters. Israel refuses any right of return to Palestinian refugees expelled from their homes in 1948 and 1967, though it welcomed one million Russians and still keeps its doors open for new immigrants. Israel also says it will never force 180,000 Jewish settlers on the West Bank, Gaza and Golan to leave.

Israel has received $233 billion in aid from the US since 1948. It grew gradually from a base of $100 million (in nominal terms) in 1949. Since then, US aid has been about $3 billion annually. Since 1992, the US has offered Israel an additional $2 billion annually in loan which receives aid in quarterly installments. Direct US aid to Israel (since 1948): $233.7 billion ($112 billion in providing Israel with $208.6 million in aid per year).

The president of the United States has the power to break this impasse. President Dwight Eisenhower ordered Israel to vacate Sinai or face the cut-off of all US aid and an end to the tax-deductible status of contributions to Israel. Israel vacated Sinai.