US Senator Bernie Sanders has accused US President Donald Trump’s administration and members of Congress of working to conceal US military assistance to "Israel" by embedding it within Pentagon-led defense co-production frameworks.
In a post on X on Sunday, Sanders said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was aware of growing public opposition in the United States to funding "Israel’s" military operations, and argued that efforts were underway to repackage military aid through formalized defense industry agreements.
“Netanyahu knows Americans are sick of funding Israel’s wars. So now he’s working with Congress to hide military aid inside Pentagon co-production deals,” Sanders wrote.
Sanders said he would oppose proposed legislation under consideration in Congress, warning it would deepen US military integration with "Israel" through expanded defense production arrangements.
NDAA provision on US–'Israel' defense cooperation
The proposal, included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), establishes what is described as a United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative.
According to reporting by Responsible Statecraft, the provision outlines expanded bilateral cooperation in military endeavours, development, and production between US and Israeli institutions.
The framework reportedly includes co-production agreements, licensing arrangements, joint ventures, and broader industrial collaboration across advanced military technologies.
Sanders argued that the measure would result in increased use of US taxpayer funds in support of Israeli military programs, intensifying existing financial and strategic ties.
Concerns over expanding military-industrial integration
Critics cited in policy discussions have warned that the proposed framework could significantly deepen integration between the US and Israeli military sectors beyond existing missile defense cooperation.
Areas identified in the proposal include artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cyber capabilities, quantum technologies, and directed-energy weapons.
Analysts cited in the report suggest the arrangement would formalize a level of defense cooperation that exceeds US military partnerships with other allied states, embedding joint development across multiple strategic sectors.
Responsible Statecraft reporting on legislative framework
Responsible Statecraft reported that Section 224 of the NDAA lays the groundwork for expanded US–"Israel" military collaboration across research, development, and procurement systems.
The report describes the initiative as part of a broader institutional framework that would increase coordination between the US and Israeli defense industries and expand existing channels of cooperation.
It also raised concerns over the scale of influence such integration could generate within US defense policymaking structures, given the depth of proposed industrial and technological alignment.
Debate over US military assistance to 'Israel'
The United States has long been one of "'Israel’s' primary military backers, with decades of defense assistance shaping the bilateral relationship.
Sanders has repeatedly criticized the scale and structure of US military support, arguing for greater congressional oversight and conditionality.
The current legislative debate comes amid wider scrutiny of US defense spending priorities and the role of foreign military assistance in domestic political discourse.
Source:Websites
