Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former Trump-era National Security Council official, is making a bold claim about one of America's most debated partnerships. Speaking on i24NEWS' American View with host Mike Wagenheim, he called for a thorough reexamination of the US-Israel relationship. His argument is that once you add up every way Israel contributes to American economic and national security, "we are getting a lot more out of this relationship than we give." Goldberg, who is known for his work on Iran sanctions policy, points to technology, intelligence and defense cooperation as the areas where Israel delivers the most value to Washington.

The comments land in the middle of a loud argument over US foreign aid and what America actually gets from its strategic partners. A Harvard Youth Poll found that 46 percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 see the Israel relationship as mostly a burden, while only 16 percent see it as mostly a benefit. Critics of the alliance question the cost of military aid and the diplomatic baggage that comes with it, while supporters like Goldberg say the benefits are being overlooked. The clip itself doesn't lay out specific figures, so a lot of readers will want to know exactly what counts as a gain, who measures it, and how it stacks up against the costs. For now, this is one side of a heated debate, and both camps are likely to keep fighting over the numbers.