2013 Briefing Book - Print Version - Aipac

RELATIONSHIP
The U.S.-Israel Economic Partnership
Bilateral ties in trade and technology launched in the 1970s and cemented in
the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement of 1985 have yielded groundbreaking
advances and joint economic growth for the two allies.
KEY POINTS
• In 1985, the United States and Israel signed America’s first Free Trade Agreement.
• American-Israeli trade has grown by 500 percent during the past 25 years. Daily trade
exceeds $78 million worth of goods and services, creating jobs in both countries.
• U.S. and Israeli businesses, researchers and academics are increasingly finding new
opportunities for investment and collaboration.
• Binational foundations in research and development, agriculture, academia and science
and technology have led to pathbreaking discoveries and life-changing inventions.
• Top U.S. tech firms such as Intel, Microsoft, Google and Apple routinely choose Israel for their
international research and development headquarters.
The Important Role That Congress Can Play
Congress has played a key role in promoting U.S.-Israel technology collaboration since the 1970s.
The American-Israeli partnership has broken new ground in trade, science and renewable energy
development. Together, Congress, the administration and the Israeli government should explore
ways to strengthen the 1985 U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement to enhance growth, employment,
investment and technology development in both nations. Congress can also build upon the
remarkable achievements of U.S.-Israel binational foundations by providing additional funding for
their activities.
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