NewNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Last week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth released the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS), a Pentagon blueprint that elevates Israel as a “model ally” and translates President Donald Trump’s national security doctrine into concrete military policy.
The NDS says, “Israel has long demonstrated that it is willing and able to defend itself with significant but limited support from the United States. Israel is a model ally, and now we have an opportunity to further empower it to defend itself and promote our shared interests, building on President Trump’s historic efforts to ensure peace in the Middle East.”
The document is now influencing parallel debates over the future of US security assistance to Israel and whether the next memorandum of understanding (MOU) should continue conventional US military aid to Israel amid dissenting voices that portray the alliance as a burden rather than a strategic asset.
Influential conservative groups argue that direct aid to Israel should be phased out ‘to reduce US influence’
According to the strategy, Israel proved its ability and willingness to defend itself after the October 7 attacks, demonstrating that it is not a passive partner, but an operational force that supports US interests in the region. This strategy emphasizes empowering capable allies rather than hindering them, building on President Trump’s earlier push for regional integration through the Abraham Accords.
On Sunday, Israeli F-15 fighter planes along with two American B-52 bombers passed through Israeli airspace. (Israel Defense Forces)
Jonathan Ruhe, director of foreign policy at the US Jewish National Security Institute, said the strategy reflects a broader US shift toward partnerships that strengthen both US security and domestic industry.
“The MOU provides for US defense aid to Israel to be spent in dollars supporting our industry in the US,” Ruhe told Fox News Digital. “And like the National Security Strategy, it enables Israel to do more to protect American interests.”
He said any future agreement would likely go beyond just financing. “A new MoU will also be broader and include more 50-50 partnership things, like joint research and development, co-production, intelligence sharing and things to reflect the partnership going forward,” Ruhe said.
The strategy also highlights the importance of revitalizing the US defense industrial base, noting that allies purchasing US systems help strengthen domestic production while enabling partners to assume greater responsibility for regional security.
Avner Golov, vice president of the Israeli think tank Mind Israel, said the document makes clear that Israel is not seen merely as an aid recipient: “Israel is in the fight. We are defending ourselves. We just need the tools to do so. And by doing so, we enhance America’s standing not only in the Middle East, but around the world and contribute to the American economy.”
The outline comes as Israel and the United States prepare to negotiate the next 10-year MOU, which governs US military aid to Israel. The current agreement, signed in 2016, provides $3.3 billion annually in foreign military financing, as well as $500 million a year for missile defense cooperation.
Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Adm. Brad Cooper, recently visited Israel as the official guest of the Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. Cooper and Zameer had a long one-on-one meeting. This was followed by a meeting which was attended by additional commanders. The IDF says the meeting serves as a further expression of the relationship between the commanders and is an additional step in enhancing the close strategic relationship between the IDF and the US military and strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries. (IDF Spokesperson Unit.)
The debate follows tensions during the Biden administration, when the White House halted deliveries of some US weapons to Israel through May 2024, including a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs. At the time, Netanyahu warned that Israel would “stand alone” if Washington halted arms deliveries, reflecting concern that limits or delays in US military support could weaken Israel’s readiness and deterrence.
Experts have noted that US leaders have not always approved every Israeli weapons request and that about 70% of Israel’s military imports come from the United States, underscoring the strategic calculations behind Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent push for more independent production.
Golov criticized that approach, arguing that it risks prioritizing optics over readiness. “I believe this is a short-term approach,” Golov said. “In the long term, Israel must first be prepared for the next round of tensions. If we are not prepared, we will have to face another war. If we are prepared, maybe we can prevent it.”
Pentagon warns that future wars could harm US soil due to increased ‘direct military threats’
President Donald Trump speaks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport before boarding his plane to Sharm el-Sheikh in Tel Aviv, Israel on October 13, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Golov said, “Israel must remain the strongest military in the region, and this is also a fundamental American interest.”
Ruhe said the debate reflected lessons learned from the nearly two-year war. “Now you’ve got this kind of topsy-turvy world where the Israelis are saying we and the Americans don’t want to take the money, and the Americans are saying, no, you’re going to take our money,” he said.
According to Ruhe, the conflict exposed vulnerabilities created by heavy reliance on American supply chains and political delays.
He said, “The war of the past two years has shown that Israel cannot depend on the US or continue to maintain the same defense partnership because that creates dependency.” “Israel becomes vulnerable to U.S. reductions in arms production or politically motivated sanctions and holdups that could impact Israel’s preparedness.”
At the same time, Ruhe said Israel is dependent on the United States for key platforms.
“Even Israel will say we are completely dependent on the US for those big platforms,” he said, pointing to aircraft like the F-15 and F-35. Which Israel has already committed to buy.
For that reason, Ruhe argued that maintaining stable funding under the next MOU may be the most practical path forward.
“It’s actually very easy for Congress to step forward and approve that money,” he said, explaining that predictable funding minimizes the annual political battles on Capitol Hill.
Terrorism emerges as biggest threat to US due to mass migration, Trump rewrites national security playbook
An Israeli fighter jet takes off to launch an air strike against the Houthis in Yemen. (IDF)
Golov said Israel’s long-term objective should not be to reduce ties with Washington, but to deepen them. “I don’t want to reduce dependence,” he said. “I want to increase contributions to America.”
He described the emerging approach as a fundamental change in the structure of the alliance. “We are moving from a 20th-century aid model to a 21st-century strategic merger,” Golov said. “Israel is the only partner that delivers a 400% return on investment without demanding a single American soldier.”
Golov said the proposed framework is built around three pillars: an industrial defense ecosystem, a joint technology ecosystem and a regional ecosystem that links Israeli innovation, Gulf infrastructure and American power.
He stressed that it is important to maintain US security assistance during the transition period.
Click here to download Fox News App
This photo taken from Israel’s southern border with the Gaza Strip on April 24, 2024 shows Israeli military vehicles along the border with the Palestinian territory amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas. ((Photo by Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images))
“We need a final ten-year ‘bridge’ with the current security assistance MOU,” Golov said. “Sudden cuts would be a dangerous signal of American withdrawal to our enemies and could hinder IDF preparations.”
“I don’t know who will be the next president of the United States,” he said. “This is where our enemies can read this in a very dangerous way.”
