The Heritage Foundation has released a new special report titled “U.S.–Israel Strategy: From Special Relationship to Strategic Partnership, 2029–2047.” This publication comes as the current ten-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the United States and Israel is set to expire in 2028. The report outlines strategies for strengthening bilateral ties, focusing on evolving global challenges and shifting U.S. priorities.
Victoria Coates, Vice President of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at Heritage, emphasized the importance of elevating the U.S.-Israel relationship from a special relationship to a strategic partnership. She stated that this move is necessary due to changing global dynamics and highlighted the need for a framework that enhances regional stability while deepening economic and technological ties.
Key points from the report indicate that the U.S.-Israel relationship remains strategically vital, rooted in shared democratic values and common threats such as those posed by Iran. The expiration of the current MOU presents an opportunity to redefine this relationship into one characterized by expanded cooperation beyond security aid.
Changes in Middle Eastern geopolitics—marked by events like the Abraham Accords in 2020 and Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023—necessitate this shift. Additionally, broader international conflicts demand attention away from the Middle East.
The proposed strategy includes bolstering Israel's security through regional initiatives under the Abraham Accords framework, fostering defense, trade, and energy ties with neighboring Arab states. A transition from military financing to cooperative programs aims to enhance joint development of defense capabilities over time, culminating in 2048.
Robert Greenway, Director of Heritage’s Allison Center for National Security, remarked on recent developments affecting both nations' strategic interests. He noted that transitioning Israel from military financing recipient status to an equal security partner aligns with future goals for both countries.
The suggested approach involves expanding Foreign Military Financing initially before transitioning toward direct military sales and joint program development by 2048—a timeline aligning with Israel’s centennial celebrations envisioned by Prime Minister Netanyahu during his address to Congress in 1996.
