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🇮🇱 Israel /Elections & Politics

The Iron Dome is partly made in Arkansas, this lawmaker went to see it work

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Arkansas Representative Aaron Pilkington visited an Israeli data center owned by Serverfarm, the same company building a facility in his district.
  • Pilkington highlighted the economic benefits of US aid to Israel, noting that some of it is spent on American factories, including those producing components for the Iron Dome.
  • He argued that this aid supports Arkansas's economy, citing a joint venture producing Tamir interceptors in the state.

Arkansas Representative Aaron Pilkington recently toured a Serverfarm data center north of Tel Aviv, finding a connection to his home district where the same company is developing a major facility. Serverfarm operates a 100,000-square-foot data center in Israel and is constructing a multi-building campus in Clarksville, Arkansas, a project reportedly valued at $6.6 billion.

I went to go and tour a data center over there in Tel Aviv owned by Serverfarm, which is the same company that's building one in my district in Clarksville.

— Rep. Aaron PilkingtonDescribing his visit to an Israeli data center and its connection to his home state.

Pilkington, who has championed data center tax exemptions in Arkansas, sees this visit as reinforcing the tangible benefits of US-Israel relations. He emphasized that a significant portion of US aid to Israel is reinvested in American factories, thereby bolstering the US economy.

I've been to other data centers, but to see one that's owned by the same company was really great.

— Rep. Aaron PilkingtonExpressing his positive impression of the Israeli data center visit.

Specifically, Pilkington pointed to the economic impact of defense cooperation. A joint venture between Israel's Rafael and US firm Raytheon operates a manufacturing facility in East Camden, Arkansas, producing Tamir interceptors for the Iron Dome system. This facility represents an investment of approximately $63 million and is projected to create up to 60 jobs.

As a Christian, it's always fascinating to visit the Holy Land. But then of course, in Arkansas we have a deep connection to Israel.

— Rep. Aaron PilkingtonExplaining his personal and state-level connection to Israel.

When addressing younger Republicans who question US aid to Israel, Pilkington uses this economic argument. He asserts that the aid ultimately benefits the American economy, including that of Arkansas, by supporting domestic manufacturing and job creation. This perspective counters the notion that aid is solely an outflow of funds, framing it instead as an investment with a domestic return.

A lot of that aid gets spent in American factories. It comes back to us in a different way. For us, I say it's helping the economy of Arkansas.

— Rep. Aaron PilkingtonArguing for the economic benefits of US aid to Israel for his state.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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