Civil rights groups campaign against deepening US-Israel defense cooperation

Fifty-six civil rights and advocacy groups are calling on Congress to scrap a defense bill provision that would deepen military technology ties between the United States and Israel. They argue that expanding those links now would create new channels of influence for Israel inside the US defense industry.

The provision, known as Section 219 of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, would accelerate joint military technology development and establish frameworks for joint ventures, licensing agreements and US-based co-production partnerships with Israeli defense companies. The House of Representatives passed the bill in July, and the Senate has yet to act.

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Exceptionally dangerous

In a letter sent Thursday to the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, the groups described deeper integration with Israel’s defense sector as “exceptionally dangerous.” The signatories include Amnesty International USA, the National Lawyers Guild, and Arab and Jewish advocacy organizations.

“At a time in which American interests are increasingly diverging from those of Israel, and American public opinion is turning increasingly against unconditional support to Israel, creating new points of influence for Israel in the US defense-technology ecosystem is exceptionally dangerous,” the letter said.

The United States and Israel remain close defense and intelligence partners. Supporters of the provision say stronger cooperation could speed military innovation and technology development. Israel’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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At a time in which American interests are increasingly diverging from those of Israel, and American public opinion is turning increasingly against unconditional support to Israel, creating new points of influence for Israel in the US defense-technology ecosystem is exceptionally dangerous.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a May interview with CBS that he hoped Israel could move away from US military support within a decade. In a June letter to a US congressman, he wrote that Israel should “move from aid recipient to partner.”

The campaign against Section 219 comes as public support for Israel has fallen since the Gaza war began in 2023, particularly among Democrats. A June Quinnipiac University poll found that 48% of voters and 66% of Democrats believed the United States was too supportive of Israel, compared with 16% and 20%, respectively, when the question was first asked in 2017.

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Move from aid recipient to partner.