The United States decision to wire $385 million to Israel has emerged as a campaign issue after Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback publicly criticised the transfer.
Fishback stated that “$385 million of our money was foolishly sent to Israel,” framing the transfer as a misuse of U.S. taxpayer resources. His remarks place the funding at the centre of his campaign messaging on foreign policy and government spending.
The candidate also addressed how he would approach relations with Israel if elected.
“I would not visit Israel just to kiss the Western Wall,” Fishback said, signalling that he would not engage in symbolic diplomatic gestures.
He further stated that the only communication he would initiate with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be to ask, “You immoral war criminal, where is our money?”
The issue has become part of Fishback’s public platform as he campaigns for governor, using the transfer as an example in his critique of federal spending decisions involving Israel.
Florida’s $385M Israel Bonds Controversy
Florida invested approximately $385 million in Israel Bonds through its state treasury and public institutions, including universities, between late 2023 and 2025.
These bonds, issued by the Development Corporation for Israel, function as marketable securities repaid with interest (around 5-6% yields), not grants, and were purchased as a show of solidarity following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.
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State CFO Jimmy Patronis led the initiative, announcing an initial $120 million purchase in October 2023, followed by an additional $130 million by March 2024, with entities such as Florida Atlantic University contributing additional millions.
James Fishback Viral Controversy Over Florida’s $385M Israel Bonds Investment
Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback said on December 27, 2025, that he would divest $385 million from Israeli government bonds and redirect the funds to a housing assistance program if elected.
“As Florida Governor, I will divest the entire $385 million currently invested in Israeli government bonds and launch a $385 million down payment assistance program to help married Florida couples buy their first home,” James Fishback said in a statement issued under his campaign banner.
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He added that on his first day in office, he would direct “every Florida government entity to divest from Israeli bonds.”
According to Fishback, over the previous two years, Florida government entities and taxpayer-funded colleges had invested $385 million in the Israeli government through open-market bond purchases. He argued that the funds should have been used within the state.
“That money should have been invested in our communities,” he said. “No public funds should ever be sent to a foreign government anywhere in the world.”
Fishback said that after fully divesting from the Israeli government, he would introduce a $385 million statewide down payment assistance initiative called “Rise and Shine.” The program, he stated, would provide $10,000 in down payment assistance to married couples in Florida.
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