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The US-Israel alliance reached a military peak, but its political future is under threat - analysis

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Context piece
  • The US-Israel military alliance reached an unprecedented peak during the recent war with Iran, with American and Israeli forces operating as a unified unit.
  • This close battlefield cooperation, including joint strike packages and intelligence sharing, marked a historic moment in the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem.
  • However, the political foundation of the alliance within the US is weakening, as public favorability towards Israel has significantly declined, particularly among younger Americans.

The recent war with Iran marked a pivotal moment for the US-Israel alliance, showcasing an unprecedented level of military integration and battlefield cooperation. American and Israeli F-15s and F-35s flew in simultaneous strike packages, sharing intelligence and coordinating targets from joint command centers where Israeli officers adopted English as their primary language. This went beyond the traditional model of one nation supplying arms to the other; it was a true partnership.

This was not the old model of the alliance, where one side supplied weapons and political backing while the other did the fighting. This was something entirely different.

— YAAKOV KATZDescribing the unprecedented nature of the US-Israel military cooperation during the war with Iran.

The division of labor during the conflict was clear: the US focused on protecting its regional bases, targeting the Iranian navy, and securing the Strait of Hormuz. Israel, meanwhile, concentrated on dismantling Iran's regime, its command structure, and its missile capabilities. A symbolic moment was the strike that eliminated Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, based on precise intelligence shared by the CIA with Israel, which then executed a massive air operation.

The moment that perhaps best symbolized this partnership was the strike that killed supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

— YAAKOV KATZHighlighting a key event that exemplified the deep trust and cooperation between the US and Israel.

Despite this peak in military collaboration, the political bedrock of the alliance in the United States is showing signs of erosion. A recent Pew survey revealed that 60% of American adults now hold an unfavorable view of Israel, a significant increase from the previous year. This trend is even more pronounced among younger demographics, with approximately 70% of respondents under 50 expressing negative views. This decline in public support poses a significant challenge to the future political standing of the US-Israel relationship.

America’s public support is slipping

— YAAKOV KATZIntroducing the declining public favorability towards Israel in the United States.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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