Endorsed by President Reagan on the White House lawn on November 29, 1983, and opposed by his own Secretary of Defense, the Lavi became the largest bi-national program in the history of U.S.-Israel relations. br br Aimed at providing Israel with a fighter-bomber uniquely suited to Israel's requirements, the Lavi became a microcosm for both the U.S.-Israel relationship, and for Israeli society itself: a study in the ambitions, fears, and internal divisions that have shaped each of them.