On May 2nd, Israelis will commemorate Yom Hazikaron, a national day in Israel to remember all the fallen soldiers. The next day is Yom Ha-Atmaut, when Israelis celebrate fifty-eight years since becoming a nation.
It is not surprising that a recent Gallup poll showed American support for Israel is at nearly historic levels with 59% in favor of this tiny nation, while only 15% have backed the Palestinian cause. More than two-thirds have an overall positive view of Israel while only 11%, a positive view of the Palestinians. More than 44% want Hamas to recognize Israel as a precondition to having any relationship with the United States.
With Americans overwhelming in support of Israel, it is not surprising that detractors have offered a strong Jewish lobby as the rationale for the high poll numbers. The claim is that the pro-Israel lobby controls U.S. foreign policy. Many might presume that Islamic extremist or Neo-Nazi sympathizers proffered such comments.
But Professors Stephen Walt of Harvard’s School of Government and John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago have professed these recent comments. They have published an essay in the London Review of Books which is part of a longer “working paper” that contends that “ a coalition of individuals and organization…. actively work to steer foreign policy in a pro-Israel direction.” The article purports that not all members of the pro-Israel coalition are Jews but the main supporters are part of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations and other supporters, including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. The authors argue that support for Israel has hurt America since Israel easily received emergency aid during the War of 1973 and each year is granted a $3.0 billion aid package. There is a further argument that support for Israel is the ultimate reason for the war on terror.
With such poor research and extreme bias, the Harvard and Kennedy School removed their logos on the essay. The idea that American public policy dances to the Israeli tune is an old canard. With Israel despised in so many areas of the world, such a claim is not at all surprising. With 500 million Arabs who control one-third of the world oil supply, it would be natural for American government policy to be more favorable to the Arab cause. After all, Israel has only six million people and no oil.
So what accounts for American support for Israel? If it is not an Israel lobby or some secret deal, what might be the reason? The answer is simply common values. Americans and Israelis share common values. Appreciating this commonality is the basis for the long-standing support from the citizens of the United States. As the people of Israel celebrate their 58th anniversary, may Americans continue their support for this tiny democracy!
Dr. Jonathan V. Plaut