Middle Israel: Who lost America? - opinion
When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to Congress and attacked from its podium America’s elected president, he antagonized half its political establishment.
On Sunday, May 16, 1948, despite a rainy day in Manhattan, over 75,000 individuals gathered outside Madison Square Garden to celebrate the newly formed Jewish state. However, only 19,000 were able to enter the arena, where they listened to speeches from prominent politicians, including Congressman Robert Taft and former New York Governor Herbert Lehman. They both praised the United States for recognizing the new Jewish republic and highlighted the importance of American freedom and equality.
This marked the beginning of a political honeymoon between the American people and the Jewish state, lasting for nearly 80 years. However, the relationship has begun to sour, with a growing discontent among Americans. While Taft and Lehman remain strong supporters of Israel, there is a new generation of politicians, including anti-Zionists like Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, as well as Christians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Delia Ramirez, who are questioning Israel's right to exist and denouncing its actions as genocidal and evil.
The decline in US support for Israel is attributed to several factors. Firstly, Israel's involvement in the Iran war, which some argue is dragging its closest ally into a foreign conflict, has created controversy. Secondly, the Israel-American military aid has been under scrutiny, with calls for its reduction or termination. The Trump administration has even openly blamed Israel for contributing to the Republican Party's electoral defeat.
Another significant factor is the anti-Israel sentiment in the United States, which has been fueled by anti-Semitic politicians like Omar, Tlaib, and Mamdani, as well as their Christian counterparts. This growing anti-Israel sentiment has resulted from a lack of understanding and education about the history and context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, leading to baseless accusations of genocide.
In summary, the relationship between the United States and the Jewish state has experienced a decline, with growing discontent among Americans over Israel's policies and actions. This decline can be attributed to various factors, including Israel's involvement in foreign conflicts, the reduction of military aid, and the spread of anti-Israel sentiment among American politicians and the public.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
