Alongside the importance of the results of the upcoming US election, it is important to understand the deep-seated basis of Israel-US ties, one that goes beyond the identity of a specific president or the composition of the US Congress. This is a partnership based on a shared ethos, one that reflects the positions of elected officials and considerable overlap of interests that influence the government.
Beyond the basic commitments to a democratic regime and individual rights, the ethos shared by the mainstream American public and the Israeli public is one that respects both the individual and the collective that are fighting to survive under difficult circumstances. They do not recoil from the use of force when necessary as a last option and to impose their will.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
This ethos is considered invalid in Europe and primitive on US campuses, in the media, in "progressive" circles and among the liberal majority of US Jews. Yet without this ethos one would be hard-pressed to explain the deep affinity for Israel among two-thirds of the American public, largely Republicans, but also among Democrats who have not been sucked into radical ideologies. They see Israel as a democratic, constructive, and desirable force, determined to do "whatever necessary," including through the use of force, in order to defend themselves. They respect that.
The pervasive view of these shared interests throughout the world, and even in the US and in Israel, stems from either deep ignorance or deliberate distortion. This view seeks to present US-Israel ties as the fruit of American affinity for Israel, US Jewish support, or the work of the pro-Israel lobby, all of which go against the "genuine" American interest in support for the "Arabs."
Yet almost all of the Arabs that matter to the US act on the advice of Israel and trust Israel. In addition, even those presidents who were less sympathetic to Israel, and even anti-Semitic like Richard Nixon, implemented policies that assisted Israel. Presidents, like Barack Obama, who saw themselves as supporters of Israel, sought to "save" the country from itself. And while the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is a dedicated and savvy sales agent for the State of Israel, if the "goods" Israel was selling were flawed, not even the most talented agent could continue to sell the country as well as it has for the past three generations. It is also worth noting that Jews make up less than two percent of the American electorate. A majority of them do not see Israel as a top issue and cast their vote automatically for Democrats.
Israeli "goods" are sought after because of the afore-mentioned ethos but largely due to American interests. From the US standpoint, Israel, situated in the one of the most important regions in the world, encompasses important virtues that no other ally does: Israel is strong, stable, responsible, determined, and always pro-American. Israel is the only US ally that does not ask American soldiers to fight its wars. It is militarily, economically, and technologically strong. It is a democracy that has proven its stability even in times of crisis. Its responsibility is reflected in its restraint in the face of the ongoing threats it has faced for generations, the likes of which no democratic country has ever experienced, and in the extreme caution it has exerted in relation to the strategic capabilities attributed to it.
Among democratic countries, it is difficult to find a comparable determination to act in times of crisis. At no point in time has Israel ever not stood with the American camp. While Israel is still the junior partner of the US superpower, it is not a negligible one. The US has been forced to downsize its physical presence in the Middle East in order to focus its attention on Asia, and the South China Sea in particular. But it can only allow itself to pivot this way if it knows it is leaving a coalition of pro-American countries interested in maintaining relative stability in the region behind. Strong, stable, loyal Israel is a vital tier in this coalition.
Presidents come and go. Some act in consultation with Israel, while others are for less receptive to its needs. Beyond these important differences, we must remember there exists a strong ethical and strategic framework for deep partnership, one that has survived unfriendly governments in the past.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
