Israel’s arms exports are surging. Aid from Washington is helping.

Even as frustrations mount over Israeli military campaigns across the Middle East, governments keep buying weapons from Israel — making it one of the world's largest arms exporters.As experts tell Responsible Statecraft, Tel Aviv uses these weapons sales to lock countries into long-term, strategic relationships that make recipients less likely to hold Israel accountable for their behavior in Gaza and Lebanon or in its West Bank policies. They stress that sustained U.S. support, including billions in military grant aid each year and the co-development of many Israeli weapons systems, helps make