In the US, the elite consensus on Israel is a structural problem

Two recent podcasts, hosted by progressive media figures and featuring key Democratic politicians, highlighted the stark divide that exists between the mainstream political and media establishments and their views on the Middle East. The two programmes, featuring Senator Mark Warner and Congressman Adam Smith, demonstrated how politicians, who rely heavily on prepared talking points, struggle when confronted by interviewers who refuse to accept the conventional wisdom about Israel and Palestine.

The close relationship between political and media elites in the US is evident in the way they live and work together in proximity, often attending the same social events and having children in the same schools. However, when it comes to reporting on the Middle East, there is a clear disconnect between the changing public opinion and the views of media and political establishment.

Polling data, congressional votes, election results, and the millions of dollars poured by pro-Israel groups into both defeating "anti-Israel radicals" and influencing public discourse all point to a disconnect between public sentiment and media/political messaging.

In interviews with major network TV shows, it is common for senior political figures to be constrained by the uninformed conventional wisdom that both sides share, reflecting an ignorance of the region's history, culture, and politics. Expert commentators on these shows are mostly former government officials who have failed in the past and continue to perpetuate the same views that define their careers.

The same can be said for the way US lawmakers approach the Middle East, with many either ignorant or choosing to ignore the region to maintain the status quo.

Despite this, the two interviews with Ball and Hasan showed that there is a shift in public opinion on Israel. Both politicians acknowledged feeling public pressure to oppose certain Israeli military aid packages, but they then fell back on the "new conventional wisdom" that they were doing so only because of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This demonstrates the important role played by new personality-driven media, who are more knowledgeable about the issues, ask probing questions, and are not afraid to challenge the elites.