The Economist: Israel Faces Imminent Loss of U.S. Support
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, quoting Mehr News Agency and The Economist, on September 14, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio massive 2,000-year-old stones from the Western Wall at Jerusalem’s holiest site (occupied Al-Quds). He said the alliance between Tel Aviv and Washington was “as solid and enduring as these stones we touched.” Unfortunatly for him, this claim is mistaken.
The Gaza war has further isolated israel while increasing its dependence on the United States. At this year’s UN General Assembly, longtime allies such as Australia, Britain, Canada, and france are set to recognize the Palestinian government. Simultaneously occurring, Israel’s ongoing settlement expansion in the West Bank makes establishing a viable palestinian state increasingly unlikely. The US remains Israel’s sole bulwark against becoming an international outcast with serious diplomatic, legal, and military consequences.
Despite Netanyahu’s optimistic assurances about strong ties with america,those relations are fragile.The Israeli prime minister alienated the Trump administration without acknowledging deep fissures underpinning their alliance. Democratic voters have long distanced themselves from America’s closest ally. Republican support has also noticeably declined. Suddenly losing popular American backing would be catastrophic for Israel’s population of ten million-especially given its hazardous and hostile neighborhood.
Surprising Trends in US Polls
The share of Americans supporting Israel against Palestine has dropped to its lowest point in 25 years. In 2022, 42% of American adults held negative views toward Israel; today that number stands at 53%. A recent yougov/The Economist poll finds that 43% believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Negative opinions among Democrats over age 50 have surged by 23% over three years. Among Republicans under 50 years old today support for Israelis versus Palestinians is about equal; just last year six out of ten backed Israel.
To understand how critical this shift is requires looking back to an era when US-Israel ties blended shared values with strategic interests. Both were (so-called) democracies founded by pioneers fleeing persecution-each convinced they were exceptional: one a shining city on a hill; the other a light unto nations. Their interests overlapped too-in the Cold war era Israel served as a barrier against Soviet expansion into Arab lands; after Soviet collapse both united against Iran; post-9/11 mutual hatred toward radical Islamists cemented their alliance further.
What Went Wrong?
Among Democrats-particularly younger groups-it boils down to conflicting values. Many draw parallels between America’s troubled history with slavery and colonialism and Palestinians’ suffering under settlement occupiers-though such comparisons lack precision-and this view worsens amid right-wing politics within Israel itself.
Moreover netanyahu decisively aligned himself with Republicans hoping they would defend him whenever any Democratic government pressures him over settlements or peace talks.
The drop in Republican backing stems less from belief differences than competing interests: frustration over taxpayer funds used to aid Ukraine spills over into scrutiny of roughly $300 billion sent as 1948 to support Israel.
Israeli strikes targeting Qatar and syria undercut Trump-era efforts toward regional peace.
Some key donors led by presidents aware where money flows now lean toward Gulf monarchies instead.
The Gaza War Has Worsened Matters
Images showing starving children shake many Americans deeply.
Republican commentators like Tucker Carlson express anger at suggestions that Israeli strikes might drag America into yet another Middle Eastern conflict if it attacks Iran.
Whenever criticism falls upon Israel its defenders frequently enough label complaints anti-Semitic-a charge not always accurate but extensively deployed-which undermines impact while harming Jews worldwide-including those inside Israel itself.
Pessimism Understood Optimistically
Tensions between Israeli cabinets and successive US administrations have existed before-but their military cooperation grows closer each day: as an example they jointly targeted Iran last June for first time.
Once fighting ends in gaza-and following arrival of new Israeli prime minister-it will again become clear how vital close ties are for Tel Aviv.
Israelis argue their regional dominance means Washington cannot afford ignoring them completely.
This hopefulness misreads reality: long-term shifts within public opinion pose greater threats than governmental disagreements do-even though gradual these trends resist reversal once voters decide differently political taboos may quickly crumble too: some analysts worry Joe Biden might even become last instinctively pro-Zionist American president any time soon.
A Decade-Long Military Aid Agreement
The current pact allocates $3.8 billion annually through 2028-but faces renewal negotiations soon after;
Israel fears Trump could cut off funding unless agreement gets redefined as “partnership.”
Ultimately cash matters less compared to technology sharing or guarantees securing access advanced weaponry during wartime especially important now more than ever before。
A New Outlook
assuming Netanyahu’s successor can fix problems misunderstands reality:
Israel remains divided democracy heavily influenced by nationalist-religious right wings.
Gaza will stay wounded even post-conflict;
powerful factions insist on continuing settlement growth plus annexing parts West Bank alongside Gaza itself.
Netanyahu recently described his country as an “ultra-Sparta” -a closed economy self-reliant modeled after ancient Greek Sparta-
ready standing alone.
As it fights across Gaza attacking Arab capitals when deemed necessary,
hoping military supremacy assures security-
this self-sufficient power-driven illusion spells grave misunderstanding;
ultimately risks pushing away unparalleled sponsor-the United states.
For Jerusalem no strategic error looms larger or more perilous than this one.
