Afrasianet - Washington's interest in Israel is the product of a complex interplay between domestic strategic and political interests. This strong relationship has become an integral part of U.S. policy in the Middle East.
The relationship between the United States and Israel is one of the most complex and sensitive bilateral relations in the Middle East, and indeed in international politics in general. It is a deep-rooted strategic, political, economic and cultural partnership that has raised questions and debate over decades about its causes, motives and profound effects on the peoples of the Middle East.
To understand the dimensions of American interest in Israel, it is necessary to dive into history and trace the course of this complex relationship.
Historical roots
The beginnings of American interest in the idea of establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine can be traced back to the early twentieth century, as the Zionist movement began to win the support of some figures and groups in the United States. As the Nazi "persecution of Jews" escalated in Europe during World War II, American sympathy for the idea of establishing an (illegitimate) Jewish state on the land of Palestine and at the expense of its people grew.
After the end of World War II and with the rise of American influence globally, Washington played a crucial role in the United Nations resolution to partition Palestine in 1947. Despite the reticence of the administration of the then US President Harry S. Truman was initially recognized, but internal and external pressure led him to recognize the nascent "State of Israel" after its declaration of "establishment" in 1948, making it the first state to recognize it. Truman made the decision to confess a few minutes after it was "proclaimed." His decision was influenced by other factors, including "human empathy" for Holocaust survivors and a desire to win over Jewish voters in the upcoming elections.
In the early years of Israel's establishment, the relationship with the United States was relatively frosty, as the latter sought to maintain good relations with oil-rich Arab states. It can be said that the nature of the relationship between the United States and the Arab oil states after 1948 was complex and contradictory, and relations witnessed tension and deterioration against the backdrop of American recognition of Israel, but common oil interests and interdependence prevented a complete rupture.
The United States has sought to preserve its oil interests while trying to repair ties and offer reassurances to Arab states, but suspicion and mistrust have persisted for a long time. However, the relationship between America and Israel began to gradually strengthen, especially after the 1967 (Six-Day War), which established Israel's image as a regional power capable of countering growing Soviet influence in the region.
America's Interest in Israel – Multiple Motives
The main reasons for the U.S. interest in Israel can be summarized in several overlapping points:
1- Strategic Interests:
During the Cold War, the United States viewed Israel as an important strategic ally in the face of communist expansion and Soviet influence in the Middle East. Israel was seen as a military power capable of deterring Soviet-backed Arab regimes and protecting U.S. interests in the region, including oil supply security.
Even after the end of the Cold War, the United States continued to view Israel as a pillar of stability and "counterterrorism," as it claimed, in a volatile region. Israel's geographic location on occupied Palestine and its advanced military capabilities make it a valuable partner in any U.S. regional strategy.
2- Internal political factors:
U.S. domestic politics plays an important role in supporting the relationship with Israel. There are powerful and influential lobbyists, such as the American Committee on Public Affairs Israel (AIPAC), founded in 1954, that serves as a "lobby" used by American Jews in Washington, D.C. It actively promotes political and economic support for Israel in Congress and the U.S. administration.
In addition, support for Israel enjoys widespread support among large segments of American public opinion, especially among evangelical Christians who see the establishment of Israel as the fulfillment of religious prophecies. This popular and political support makes it difficult for any U.S. administration to shy away from supporting Israel.
3- Cultural factors and common values:
Israel is often portrayed in the United States as the only "democracy" in its Arab environment, sharing the values of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. This image reinforces sympathy and support for Israel in American circles, and makes support for it easier to justify.
4- Economic and military factors:
Although the United States' direct economic interests in Israel are not as large as its interests in the Arab oil states, there is significant economic and military cooperation.
The United States provides Israel with huge annual military aid, making it the largest recipient of U.S. aid in its history at the expense of the American people.
Military support enhances Israel's defensive and offensive capabilities and makes it highly dependent on U.S. technology and weapons, creating a strong economic and military link.
According to the Times of Israel, citing a report by Brown University's Costs of War Project published in late September, Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. military aid in history, having received $251.2 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars since 1959.
According to the report, the total US military aid to Israel amounted to $ 17.9 billion, in just one year from the start of the "Al-Aqsa Flood Battle" on October 7, 2023, until October 7, 2024.
In the context of global excellence, Israel embodies the pinnacle of leadership in the field of research and development, as it is undisputed at the forefront of two fundamental indicators: the ratio of spending allocated to scientific research and development relative to GDP, as well as the density of the engineering and scientific elite relative to the population.
Moreover, it occupies advanced positions in patent registers and qualitative innovation indicators. With a forward-looking look at the prospects of the digital future, Israel is unique in the density of AI startups relative to the population.
Recognizing this pioneering role, major U.S. technology companies have established more than 300 R&D centers in Israel, recognizing their depth of knowledge and superior innovation capability.
Close partnerships between Israeli and American companies combine to enrich creative technological exchange, creating tens of thousands of quality jobs in the United States, as noted by the innovator Bill Gates in 2006, stressing the paramount importance of Israel's innovation momentum for the future of the global technology industry. It is worth noting that "Israel" hosts the largest development center for the giant processor industry Intel in the world, and has played a pivotal role in laying the foundations of the company's global technologies, as it developed advanced generations of Intel® Core™ processors, such as the seventh and eighth, with substantial efforts and contributions launched from Israeli research centers.
The Impact of the U.S.-Israel Relationship on the Peoples of the Region
It is undeniable that the close relationship between the United States and Israel has profound and complex effects on the peoples of the Middle East in general and on the oppressed Palestinian people in particular, and these influences are often negative and controversial:
1- Palestinian-Israeli conflict:
Continued U.S. support for Israel, often seen as unconditional, is one of the key factors in the continuation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict without a just and lasting solution. Many in the region argue that the United States is heavily siding with Israel and ignoring legitimate Palestinian rights, undermining "peace" efforts and increasing tension and despair.
2- Regional instability:
U.S. support for Israel is seen as a contributing factor to regional instability and even exacerbating conflicts. Some argue that it encourages tougher policies toward their surroundings.
3- Stoking anti-American sentiment:
Many in the region see the United States as adopting double standards in its handling of Middle East issues, strongly supporting Israel while criticizing other countries in the region. This creates a sense of injustice and anger, and contributes to growing anti-American sentiment and anti-American policies in the region.
4- Impact on Arab-American Relations:
U.S. support for Israel has negatively affected U.S. relations with many Arab countries and their peoples. The United States is often seen as biased and unable to play the role of an honest broker in regional conflicts, including the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council in their various final statements and resolutions. His right to self-determination and the establishment of his independent State. Several statements have been issued rejecting the forced displacement of Palestinians and calling on the international community to pressure Israel to stop its unilateral actions.
5- Impact on "peace efforts":
Many see unconditional U.S. support for Israel as hindering "peace efforts" in the region, making Israel less willing to make the concessions necessary to achieve a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, even in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative adopted in 2002 at the Beirut summit.
Washington in the Middle East
U.S. interest in Israel is the product of a complex interplay between strategic, domestic, cultural, and economic interests. This strong relationship, which has developed over decades, has become an integral part of U.S. policy in the Middle East.
However, the profound effects of this relationship on the peoples of the region, which are often characterized by resentment and frustration over America's bias towards Israel at the expense of Arab and Palestinian rights, cannot be ignored. Understanding this complex dynamic is necessary to analyze current events in the Middle East and anticipate their future trajectories, especially after the Nazi war of October 7, 2023, which continues to this day.
In this wondrous world, Uncle Sam's "grandeur" manifests itself as a focus of dark radiation, drawing its glow from the burning of others. As for the Banu Ya'rub, they preferred to act as a silent spectator on the bloody scene of events in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, wrapped in the shame of inaction as a garment of obsolescence. And what a double shame! To satisfy ourselves with the location of the tails, to feed on the crumbs of their poisoned tables. They reduced the equation of existence to a lame logic: let the rest perish so that the "elite" may enjoy the so-called immortality.