Israel must repair its strategic triangle with the US and American Jewry - opinion

Israel must urgently mend its strategic triangle with the United States and American Jewry, argues Avi Gil in an opinion piece. This vital triangle comprises the relationship between Israel and the US, American Jewry and the US administration, and Israel and American Jewry. For years, Israeli governments understood the importance of maintaining bipartisan support in the US and fostering solidarity with the diverse American Jewish community. However, troubling cracks are now appearing in this crucial alliance.

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Israel has no great-power ally other than the United States.

The author contends that Israel's sole great-power ally is the United States, which hosts a significant, influential, and prosperous Jewish community. This community plays a substantial role in American government, academia, business, media, law, and culture. Despite the increasing difficulty of preserving bipartisan support in a polarized America, Prime Minister Netanyahu has aligned himself primarily with the Republican camp. This strategy, the author argues, has transformed Israel from a consensual issue into a partisan one and alienated the majority of American Jews, who tend to hold liberal views.

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Our great advantage is that the United States is home to a remarkable, prosperous and influential Jewish community.

Gil identifies three key illusions that are weakening Israel's strategic relationships. Firstly, the illusion of "Hasbara" (Public Diplomacy) – campaigns portraying Israel as a strategic asset or the "Start-Up Nation" – fail to address substantive points of friction. These include perceptions of Israel undermining democratic norms, offering no political horizon on the Palestinian issue, and widening a values gap with liberal and younger Americans. Secondly, the illusion of symmetry ignores the reality that Israel is existentially dependent on the US for military, diplomatic, and economic support. Arrogant conduct and public confrontations with American presidents are seen as impudence in Washington, accelerating the erosion of support.

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Netanyahu, rather than navigating sensitively between the two political camps, chose to align himself with the Republican camp, helping turn Israel from a consensual issue into a partisan one, while alienating the majority of American Jews, who hold liberal views.

Finally, the article debunks the illusion that "nobody understands America like Bibi." The author suggests that while bipartisan support for Israel has collapsed, the focus should be on repairing the damaged relationships. This requires a shift away from partisan alignment and a more sensitive navigation of the complex dynamics between Israel, the US government, and the American Jewish community. The piece implicitly calls for a more nuanced approach to foreign policy that prioritizes long-term strategic stability over short-term political gains.

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Arrogant conduct, bypassing the administration, and publicly confronting American presidents are perceived in Washington as impudence, and they accelerate the erosion of support for Israel.