The United States House of Representatives narrowly passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027, a sweeping defense spending bill outlining military priorities. The legislation includes $750 million for Israel-related military programs, $65 million more than the previous year, amid ongoing debate over Washington's continued military support for Israel during its war in Gaza.
However, the NDAA is not yet law. The bill now moves to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain after Senate Democrats blocked the Senate version earlier this month. The measure must pass both chambers before reaching the president's desk.
The House bill drew sharply different reactions. Pro-Israel advocacy groups, including AIPAC, welcomed the funding, while organizations like the Council on American-Islamic Relations criticized continued US military assistance, arguing it risks contributing to Israel's campaign in Gaza.
If passed unchanged, $500 million would go to missile defense programs, including Israel's Iron Dome system, which became fully operational in 2011 and has intercepted close to 90% of rockets threatening populated areas, according to a 2020 Congressional Research Service report. The remaining $250 million would support counter-unmanned systems, subterranean operations, and emerging defense technologies including AI-driven systems.
US military support for Israel has expanded over decades. In 2016, the two countries signed a 10-year memorandum of understanding covering fiscal years 2019-2028, committing $33 billion for Foreign Military Financing and $5 billion for missile defense. A 2025 Brown University analysis estimated the US provided approximately $21 billion in military assistance to Israel between October 2023 and September 2025.
Beyond direct government funding, numerous companies supply or support military systems used by Israel. A tracker by the American Friends Service Committee identified 57 companies with financial ties to Israel's military supply chain, ranging from major defense contractors like RTX, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin to tech companies like Palantir, and others including Toyota, General Motors, and Amazon.
Palantir, which has provided AI and data-analysis technology to Israel's Ministry of Defense since October 7, 2023, saw its stock surge 618% from $16.61 on October 6, 2023 to $119.61 on Tuesday. Boeing sold $18.8 billion worth of F-15 aircraft between 2023 and 2025, while Lockheed Martin sold $3.4 billion worth of helicopters and $660 million in Hellfire missiles. RTX's stock rose 214.3% over the same period.
Source: www.aljazeera.com