can elicit defensive or hostile reactions. Supporters of Israel find the question itself

offensive

because they see Israel as a democratic nation with a right to their own land and freedoms.

So, why wouldn’t the US support them? Supporters of Palestine find the question offensive

too, because they see Israel’s current policies as oppressive and an endangerment to both

Palestinians and their land. So, why would the US support them? Objectively, both questions

are valid, and we can’t know exactly why US leadership holds their stance on Israel,

but we

can explain how the US began sending billions of dollars in aid annually to Israel, and

why that

policy still stands.

First off, the US didn’t always support Israel. They sent some humanitarian aid right

after World War Two, but that wasn’t seen as preferential treatment, nor was it particularly

uncommon. This is important to note, because in the aftermath of World War Two, clear

alliances weren’t yet established, and the US wanted to be perceived by the Middle East

as fair

and impartial. A strategy that was working...until the generally anti-western Arab Nationalist

Movement gained momentum, and the USSR started courting Arab nations. This was during the

Cold War, a time period in which the USSR and the US were actively competing for ideological

influence over almost every region on Earth. To remain relevant in the Middle East, the

US set

out to establish closer ties with Israel, because Israel was already a democracy with

strong

anti-communist leanings. The US wanted to establish Israel as a bulwark against communist

influence and a partner for their intelligence and military operations. As such, it was in

the

United State’s best interest to make Israel as strong and stable as possible.

Since then, the threat has changed but not the arrangement. The US still supports a strong

and stable Israel, but the country is no longer a bulwark against the spread of communism.

It is

now seen as a bulwark against the spread of Muslim Extremist Ideals, like those shared

by Al

Qaeda and ISIS. Which Israel does do, but that is still not the reason for continued

attention to

Israel. The real reason is popular support.

Initially, foreign aid to Israel was seen as anti-communist, a hugely popular idea among

Americans. Now foreign aid to Israel is largely seen as protection for Israel from hostile

neighbors and the Muslim world in general. After 9/11, around 55% of all Americans supported

Israel, whereas only 15% supported Palestine, a trend that continues. According to a recent

gallup poll, 62% of Americans supported Israel in their recent conflict with Palestine, while

only

18% supported Palestine. Anti-muslim sentiment did flare in the US after 9/11 and is potentially

on the rise again due to the current war with ISIS. It is likely that some of that support

comes out

of fear and a poor understanding of the Muslim world. This is the political climate that

makes it

convenient for Politicians to support Israel. But even that isn’t the whole story.

The United States government is slow to change, and significantly influenced by the religious

right. A movement that tends to stand staunchly behind the status quo and is more sympathetic

to Israel than the public at large. So even if popular support did shift closer to Palestine,

inertia

alone could keep the US allied with Israel for some time.

If you’d like to learn more about the middle east and what is happening there please check

out our video on Syria and the emerging refugee crises it is causing in the area. (sound up).

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