Exploring the reasons behind the US-Israel alliance and its impact on the region. Analyzing President Biden's support for Israel and the emotional, political, and foreign policy factors behind it. Understanding the recent protests in the United States in support of Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
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Quick takeaways
The United States' support for Israel is influenced by maintaining American imperial hegemony, the power of the Israel lobby, and guilt over the Holocaust.
Severing the US-Israel relationship may not have a significant practical impact on Israel, but greater US leverage could potentially push for a peaceful resolution between Israelis and Palestinians.
Deep dives
The United States' support for Israel stems from a combination of Israel's role in maintaining American imperial hegemony, the power of the Israel lobby, and guilt over the Holocaust
The United States' strong support for Israel can be traced back to multiple factors. Firstly, Israel plays a crucial role in maintaining American imperial hegemony, not just in the Middle East but globally. Additionally, the influence of the Israel lobby, which includes organizations like Christians United for Israel, is significant. It is not solely a Jewish lobby, as the Jewish lobby has electoral power that holds sway over Congress. However, it is essential to note that guilt over the Holocaust also played a role in solidifying US support for Israel, with many feeling that it was an attempt to compensate for the international community's failure to prevent the genocide of six million Jews. This support was not without challenges, as the decision to recognize Israel was a compromise that required negotiating with Arabs and dividing Palestine. The United States' close embrace of Israel came after the 1967 war when it recognized Israel as a Cold War asset, leading to increased military assistance and the growing power of the Israel lobby.
The United States and Israel benefit greatly from their relationship, with Israel being the greater beneficiary
The relationship between the United States and Israel is mutually beneficial, but Israel is the more significant beneficiary. Without unrestrained US support, Israel would face more substantial international pressure. The United States consistently protects Israel from international condemnation, as seen in its recent veto of a UN Security Council resolution. However, severing this relationship would not have a significant practical impact on Israel, as it could adapt to the change. Instead, the United States' greater leverage over Israel in the diplomatic arena could potentially push for a peaceful resolution between Israelis and Palestinians. Despite this, the deeply entrenched nature of military, intelligence operations, and financial interests, combined with the regional balance of power in the Middle East, make significant change unlikely in the near future.
Changing public opinion in the United States may lead to a shift in the relationship and potential change on the ground in Israel and the Palestinian territories
The shift in public opinion within the United States, particularly among Americans who are becoming more aware of Israel's severe violations of Palestinian human rights, is significant. However, translating this change in public sentiment into tangible shifts in the relationship and on the ground in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank may take time. It is crucial to recognize that neither Israel nor the Palestinian people currently have political forces capable of proposing realistic and mutually beneficial solutions that address the needs and rights of both peoples. Real change will require political leadership that can forge a shared future characterized by equal rights, security, democracy, and self-determination. While a diminished support for Israel among American voters may lead to some reconsideration of the relationship, substantial change is unlikely in the near future due to entrenched interests and the absence of realistic proposals from both sides.
This was the top question we got from Today, Explained listeners. Joel Beinin, Middle East history professor emeritus at Stanford, has answers.
This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Isabel Angell, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by David Herman, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.