NPR. This is the indicator for Planet Money. I'm Adrian Ma.

And I'm Darien Woods. Every year the US government, with the help of US taxpayers,

allocates about 1% of its budget to foreign aid.

That's money the US sends to other countries to help with all kinds of things,

from economic development and humanitarian aid to military spending.

And over the past several decades, one country has received more. to military

one country has received more economic and military aid than any other.

Israel.

That's according to an analysis by a policy think tank called the Council on Foreign Relations.

For example, Israel receives about three and a half policy think tank called the Council on Foreign Relations.

For example, Israel receives about three and a half billion dollars a year through something

called the Foreign Military Financing Program.

Through this program, Israel takes the money, turns around around and buys U.S. made weapons, everything from artillery

shells to jet fighters. And this is how it's been working for decades.

But as the Israel-Harmas War in Gaza stretches on and the Palestinian death toll grows.

There's been growing scrutiny of this arrangement.

Recently President Biden paused a shipment of US-made bombs to Israel

saying he was concerned about how they would be used.

Today on the show, why Israel became such a major recipient of U.S. military aid,

and why there's a debate over how or even whether it should continue.

Support for this podcast and the following message come from Wise, the app that makes managing your money in different

currencies easy. With Wise, you can send and spend money internationally at the mid-market exchange

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