As we approach the upcoming US presidential and congressional elections, what are the issues and values the United States and Israel share? The US-Israel relationship is strong because of shared values and strategy. Americans and Israelis say they care about freedom, democracy, security, and education, among many other values. In the Middle East, a neighborhood darkened by dictators, tyrants, and nations that abhor freedom, these two allies face difficult challenges. In the upcoming election, Americans who factor a strong US-Israel relationship into their calculations count five issues that matter to them when judging whether candidates share their priorities and have earned their votes. 1) American military aid to Israel; 2) American diplomatic cover of Israel in the international community;
3) handling Iran and its terror proxies; 4) the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
5) influence on Israeli policy.
Additionally, the US has pledged $3.7 billion in annual military aid to Israel — a number that rises each year when special appropriations for joint research and development projects (and wars) are factored into the sum. The real number is well above $4 billion annually. This military aid is essential for Israel’s defense and security.
Ensuring the military aid continues is a top priority for any voter that values a strong US-Israel relationship.
Why is the US-Israel relations more important than ever
The US holds one of five coveted veto votes in the United Nations Security Council, the only committee in the UN that has the power to sanction a country. If not for the US diplomatic cover of Israel at the UN, Israel would be sanctioned many times over.
Iran poses a three-fold threat to Israel. The Islamic Republic is enhancing its nuclear weapons, is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, and is spreading terror influence throughout the Middle East.
The voter who prioritizes the US-Israel relationship will look to see if either former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump or Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, will stand for supporting Israel at the UN and how they plan on stopping Iran.
With the seven-front war Israel is fighting from Gaza to Yemen, the Israeli-Palestinian-Arab conflict has grown exponentially. Expansion of the Abraham Accords has been suspended and there seems to be no immediate solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As the Middle East conflict escalates, what are Americans voting for
A prospective “President’s Plan” to bring peace to the Middle East is a top concern of American voters who care about Israel. How much influence does a candidate want to wield within the Israeli leadership’s policy making process? Their influence on Israeli policy isn’t binary, and Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestinian voters will want to understand the scale of influence a candidate feels is fitting for the American president.
These are the top values, goals, and issues at the forefront of American voters who are concerned with the US-Israel relationship’s minds.
Uri Pilichowski is an author, speaker, and senior educator at institutions around the world.