Us And Israel Relationship

Republicans and Democrats disagree about practically everything. But there's one thing that both sides seem to agree on. Israel. Israel. Israel. Israel. Israel. Israel. Israel. Israel.

Every four years, presidential candidates make a point to show how much they support Israel. They emphasize the strong bonds between the two countries, in terms of history, bilateral trade, and strategic alliances.

It's true each president has enacted pretty different policies toward Israel. George Bush Sr. had a tumultuous relationship with the Jewish state. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush struck close friendships with their prime minister counterparts.

Barack Obama didn't always see eye to eye with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Donald Trump usually does.

Yet despite these differences, every president, Democrat or Republican, has fundamentally supported Israel, in office and on the campaign trail. So if presidential races are all about distinguishing yourself from your opponent, why do all these candidates sound more or less the same when it comes to Israel, It might be surprising to learn that the United States and Israel haven't always been close allies.

In the mid 1950s, during the height of the Cold War, the formal President Dwight Eisenhower didn't really care about the Jewish state. His focus was on the newly independent Arab countries, which he worried would be scooped up by the Soviet Union. The relationship between the United States of America and Israel is a topic that both Republicans and Democrats agree on.

Presidential candidates from both parties consistently show their support for Israel, highlighting the historical, trade, and strategic ties between the two countries.

While each president may have different policies towards Israel, they all fundamentally support the country. This unity is surprising considering that the United States and Israel were not always close allies.

In a 2019 Gallup poll, American sympathies towards the Jewish statein relation to the Israel Palestinian conflict dropped to its lowest point in a decade, but even that was 59 percent Support for Israel is one subject presidential candidates can safely campaign on.

After decades of complex history built on public support, foreign policy alignment, religious interests, and defense goals, boosting the Jewish state remains a popular bipartisan strategy in American politics.

Peace in the Middle East for American presidents. Obviously, it would be a feather in any president's cap, a feather about the size of a Nobel Peace Prize. But it would also strengthen the deep, fundamental, and constantly growing bond shared by Israel and the United States.

In the 1950s, President Dwight Eisenhower focused more on Arab countries during the Cold War. It wasn't until the Six Day War in 1967 that the U.S. recognized Israel as a powerful ally. The United States and Israel share similar values as democratic nations, which further strengthens their bond.

Additionally, the rise of Christian Zionism in America and the influence of pro Israel lobbies like AIPAC have played a role in shaping U.S. support for Israel.

The formalization of the military relationship between the two countries began in the 1980s, with Ronald Reagan emphasizing Israel's military advantage.

The events of September 2011 and the war on terror further solidified the alliance, as both countries understood the need for self defense against terrorism. Public opinion also plays a significant role, with a majority of Americans consistently expressing a favorable view of Israel. As a result, supporting Israel has become a safe campaign tactic for presidential candidates.

Overall, the strong bond between Israel and the United States of America remains a popular bipartisan strategy in American politics, driven by public support, foreign policy alignment, religious interests, and defense goals.