Over the past year, Israel has effectively defended itself against simultaneous and sustained attacks from Iran and its proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis — all of which are enemies of both Israel and the United States.
This has been possible due to Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME) — its ability to counter and defeat any combination of conventional threats. America’s commitment to Israel’s QME is enshrined in law and serves as the basis of Congress’ historic support for our democratic ally.
Especially as Israel faces a seven-front war, Congress must continue to ensure Israel has the weapons needed to maintain its QME and confront the shared threats posed by Iran and its terrorist proxies. Efforts to block arms sales to Israel undermine our ally’s QME, increase the risk of attacks against our ally, and undermine American interests.
A core element of U.S. policy in the Middle East is to maintain Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME)— its ability to counter and defeat any credible conventional military threat while sustaining minimal damages and casualties.
Given Israel’s small size, small population and the serious threats it faces, our ally must rely on highly advanced equipment and training to deter and overcome threats from potential adversaries.
The United States has worked to ensure Israel’s QME for more than 50 years. In 2008, Congress wrote America’s longstanding commitment to Israel’s QME into law and required the president to continually assess whether it is being maintained.
Along with assessing the impact of potential arms sales to other countries in the region, one of the primary ways America ensures Israel’s QME is through the sale of advanced American weapons systems — purchased in part using annual U.S. security assistance and emergency supplemental aid.
According to the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding on Security Assistance reached by the Obama administration, “The acquisition of additional U.S.-produced capabilities and technology provide the best means to ensure Israel preserves its Qualitative Military Edge (QME).”
Israel’s QME is essential to its ability to defend its people, combat shared threats and promote American interests in a dangerous region while minimizing casualties and the threat of escalation.
As demonstrated in recent months, Israel’s ability to locate and eliminate highly wanted terrorists responsible for killing Americans — as well as its ability to surgically destroy Iran’s advanced Russian- made air-defense systems, which are the country’s primary air defense — is made possible by Israel’s QME.
Over the last year, Israel’s QME has also helped ensure Hamas’ near-defeat in Gaza and the destruction of significant portions of Hezbollah’s missile arsenal. Israel’s QME has enabled it to strike Iranian terrorist proxies in Yemen, Syria and Iraq that have repeatedly attacked Americans.
In an increasingly volatile Middle East, Israel is the one stable democratic ally upon which America can consistently depend. U.S. support for Israel helps deter regional conflict by making clear to potential foes that they cannot defeat the Jewish state
Israel is a capable partner on the frontlines against a shared enemy. Iran and its terrorist proxies have proven their commitment to undermining American interests and values.
The United States must continue to maintain Israel’s QME and ensure our ally has the resources and support needed to keep its people safe. This includes overwhelmingly rejecting any effort to block U.S. arms sales to our ally.
Additionally, America must increase the economic and political pressure on Iran and its terrorist proxies, to reduce the funding they have to attack Americans and our allies, strengthen our adversaries like China and Russia, and advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
