As for Iron Dome funding, I am going to put my neck out for a minute, so take your shots or voice your thoughtful opinion.
I had this thought a week or so ago during the height of Hamas sending hundreds of missiles indiscriminately towards Israeli citizens. Note: this only pertains to Iron Dome, and hence Iron Dome funding in this context. My thought involved a little what-if game. What if Israel didn't have the Iron Dome system? The obvious conclusion would be many of those missiles would hit the ground. (Can't really say target.) There would be massively more bloodshed and property damage to Israelis - both Jews and Arabs. Just as Israel did not stand idly by with Iron Dome, you would suspect Israel would actively seek out and destroy targets in Gaza if they didn't have Iron Dome.
If Israel didn't have Iron Dome, would they have been more vigorous in destroying Hamas and the PA? Would they end this conflict once and forever?
While I don't want to see innocent life lost without Iron Dome, there is a side of me that thinks this has become a slow war of attrition, that has already spanned previous decades and it has no end in sight. The losses add up over time. Perhaps without Iron Dome, there is a one-time increase in loss of life in Israel, but it ends the on going conflict for good. That loss of life would be no greater than over the long term. If Israel flattened Gaza, drove the Palestinians into the Sinai, and end this for once and forever, then Israelis could get on with their lives, in peace, and without terror.
In essence, I am wondering if lack of Iron Dome would force Israel to end because their loss of life and destruction of property would be much higher. Would their hands be forced?
A tangential thought is Iron Dome is deep state defense contractor crack. They make money from Israel's Iron Dome addiction. The deep state cares only about one thing - never ending spending. They don't give a damn about Israel, the Palestinians, or peace. They want ongoing war and conflict to make money.
There once was a time in the world, some 70 or so years ago, that wars were won and ended. Add to that, relatively quickly. That doesn't happen anymore. I believe Eisenhower gave us far warning about this, but no one listened.
Not quite sure the point of your post. Iron Dome was developed in Israel by Rafael Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, who manufacture the system. Without later aid Israel might not have the current number of batteries or missiles yet, but I doubt that would be a major factor. Certainly US aid was a major asset, but our interest came well after the systems devolopment, and at the price of having the missiles built in the US, ironically putting Israel’s supply of the missiles they developed at risk, as well as restricting sales to other nations. I doubt a smaller supply would have been a major factor given the quality of Hamas rockets. I doubt Israel has the desire to “flatten” Gaza and drive the residents into the Sinai, precipitating a war with Egypt. You’ll note that in the north where the quality of rockets is thought to be superior, Israel has made it clear that a Hamas style attack will be considered an attack by Lebanon, and war will ensue. Doesn’t mean Iran will hold off forever.