By Atiq Ullah
The United States has consistently shown unconditional support for Israel, especially in the wake of the October 7th Hamas attacks, leading to consequential global scrutiny and debate.
Despite widespread international condemnation of Israel’s military actions against civilians in Gaza, which resulted in numerous casualties of Gazans, the U.S. continues to provide absolute moral, economic, political, and military support to Tel Aviv.
This steadfast support raises critical questions about the causes behind U.S. foreign policy. Officially, the U.S. cites strategic and moral reasons, viewing Israel as an essential ally in a geopolitically sensitive region and a beacon of democracy in the Middle East.
However, the relationship is primarily influenced by powerful Israeli lobbying groups within the U.S., which work tirelessly to shape American foreign policy. This complex network of lobbies not only shapes U.S. actions in the region but also impacts its global image and relations with other nations, particularly in the Middle East.
After Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, Israel declared a full-scale war and announced the dismantling of the Hammas authority in Gaza. However, thousands of people, including children, the elders, students, doctors, journalists and human rights activists have been killed by the Israeli army in the ongoing battle against Hamas. As a result, the majority of the world population has sided with the Palestinians, against Israel, while the United States has continued to provide it with unconditional moral, economic, political and military support. According to a report by A.L. Jazeera, the United States has vetoed (blocked) at least 53 resolutions against Israel in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) since 1972.
The United States provides unconditional support to Israel based on two main reasons: strategic and liberalist. Strategically, Israel was a key ally during the Cold War, and it continues to serve as a valuable partner in the fight against terrorism due to its location in the Middle East. In addition, the U.S. supports Israel on moral grounds as it is the only democratic country in the region, aligning with the U.S.’s commitment to supporting democratic states worldwide.
However, such a support raises questions about the consistency of the United States in promoting democracy, given also its history of involvement in the overthrow of democratic regimes in various countries such as Iran (1953), Guatemala (1954), Congo (1960), Dominican Republic (1961), Brazil (1964) and Chile (1973).
U.S. officials advocate the strategic importance of Israel to the U.S. In 1962, John F Kennedy coined the term “special relationship with Israel,” describing the relationship between Israel and the U.S. as the U.S. maintains strategic relations with another state.
Undoubtedly, Israel can provide intelligent information. Sen. Lindsey Graham referred to Israel as the “eyes and ears of the United States in the region,” while others, like foreign policy expert John Hoffman, believe that Israel is a strategic liability for the United States. When considering the cost and benefits of the U.S.-Israel relationship, it is worth noting that the United States has provided $300 billion in economic and military aid to Israel since 1948.
The United States is engaged in dialogues with countries such as Egypt and Jordan to maintain their alliance with neighboring Israel. It also provides military and economic assistance to these states (Egypt $1.43 billion and Jordan $1.565 billion) on the condition that they do not pose a threat to Israel. Under the Qualitative Military Edge (QME) Policy, the United States has supplied stealth F35 bombers to Israel.
This unyielding support for Israel, which includes vetoing pro-Israel UN Security Council resolutions and providing military aid, has resulted in the United States being perceived unfavorably in the Muslim world, especially in the Middle East. It has also brought attention to a perceived double standards in the US-led world order, where the United States seems to apply different standards in its dealings with Israel, so undermining the established norms of the international order, and damaging the United States’ reputation as a proponent and leader of liberal values.
Furthermore, the already strained relations between the U.S. and Iran worsened due to the unconditional support for Israel.
John Mearsheimer, a prominent political analyst in the U.S., argues in his book “The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy” (2008) that the U.S. did not receive substantial strategic benefits from Israel. Instead, the U.S. faced challenges in the region. For instance, Israel’s attacks on Egypt as part of the Suez Crisis pushed Egyptian leadership to align with the Soviet Union to counterbalance Israel, significantly impacting the U.S. Besides providing some minor intelligence about Israel during the Cold War, Israel’s contributions were limited. Notably, Israel’s actions triggered the significant Oil Embargo of 1973, creating serious challenges for the U.S. Mearsheimer also disagrees with the notion that the U.S. would receive unwavering military support from Israel in a major Middle East conflict. He points out that during the Gulf War of 1990, Israel did not join the coalition against Iraq. Instead, the U.S. had to assume additional responsibilities to defend Israel from rocket attacks by Saddam Hussein.
Considering the cost-benefit analysis of the US-Israeli relationship, the main question arises: Who makes the U.S. foreign policy? Who influences the Israel-centric US foreign policy?
According to the U.S. Constitution, the responsibility for creating and enacting foreign policy lies with the Executive branch, headed by the president, and the legislative branch, composed of Congress. Although the judiciary does not actively participate in foreign policy, it does get involved when there are disagreements among the branches regarding the interpretation of the Constitution. These are the primary players in the foreign policy process, but other influencers, known as lobbies, impact U.S. foreign policy. Lobbies, as interest groups, significantly shape U.S. foreign policy by leveraging their influence to elect members of Congress, fund various political interests, shape public opinion, and support specific parties. Their considerable influence must be acknowledged when examining U.S. foreign policy.
The main factors influencing U.S. foreign policy towards Israel are the Israeli lobbies within the United States. Scholars like Steve Waltz and John Mearsheimer refute the idea that Israeli lobbies control U.S. foreign policy or have religious motives. They argue that these lobbies are similar to other interest groups, such as Apple, the Military Industrial Complex, and the U.S. Rifle Association, each pursuing specific goals. However, they do acknowledge that the strong lobby of the U.S. Evangelical Community, which has apparent religious interests, also seeks to influence U.S. foreign policy towards Israel. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for grasping the complexities of U.S. foreign policy.
The Web of Israeli Lobbies in the United States
The majority of foreign policy experts believe that powerful Israeli lobbies have a significant influence on U.S. foreign policy. These lobbies employ various strategies to exert pressure on Congress and executive members to shape favorable policies towards Israel, regardless of their personal views. They also seek to sway public opinion in favor of Israel through media, public figures, Think Tanks, academia, and discussions on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Some of the influential pro-Israeli lobbies in the U.S. include the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI), the Israeli-American Council (IAC), Christians United for Israel (CUFI), the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), the American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), Hadassah, and the Women’s Zionist Organization of America.
American Israel Public Affairs Committee (APEC)
The origins of AIPAC can be traced back to the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs, which was founded to manage American support for Israel during the 1953 massacre in the West Bank. It was renamed AIPAC in 1957. AIPAC is one of the most influential lobbies in the United States advocating for Israel, and it spent millions during the 2007 American elections. In 2007, the National Journal ranked AIPAC second in Washington’s Muscle Rankings. The lobby also includes former majoritarian members of the House of Commons, editors of well-known journals like the Wall Street Journal, and prominent evangelical Christians. According to Al Jazeera reports, 30 percent of Americans consider themselves evangelical Christians.
There are 70 million evangelicals in America who are considered ultra-pro-Israeli communities in the U.S. They believe the rebirth of Israel is a Biblical prophecy, and making any trouble and criticizing Greater Israel’s policy is contrary to God’s will. Before 2021, APEC’s role was to lobby for candidates rather than directly fund their campaigns. However, a significant shift in APEC’s policy occurred, substantially increasing its influence. In the 2022 elections, APEC made a monumental move by directly funding candidates and contributing to the outside spending of election campaigns. APEC’s financial support extended to 365 candidates from both U.S. parties, underscoring the scale of its influence on U.S. elections. According to The Guardian, AIPEC will be the most active lobby in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections. Some sources indicate that AIPEC spent $100 million in campaigns and is active in blocking the pathway for electing pro-Palestinian candidates to win elections.
The Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI)
The Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) is another pro-Israeli lobby in the U.S. established in 2019 in reaction to diminishing pro-Israeli policies in young democrats. The DMFI backs the candidates in the Democratic Party who push the pro-Israeli agenda in the party. Although it is a small lobby, it is active in campaigning for pro-Israeli democrats during congressional elections. This group spent $40000 in a campaign for a congressional candidate, Tom Souzzi. After the Hamas attacks, some democrats were cautious about unconditional support to Israel. However, this lobby sent a memo to these democrat members that this support for Israel would never affect their political careers. The group uses different tactics to achieve their interests, like comparing funding and advertising.
The Israeli-American Council (IAC)
The Israeli-American Council (IAC) is working in a non-profit organizational structure to serve the interests of Israeli Americans who moved to America and paved the way for a better relationship between the U.S. and Israel. It has 20 regional offices across the United States, representing 10 percent of the American Jewish population. According to the Impact Report 2023 of IAC, it hosted 80 seminars, conferences, and discussions by more than 2800 individuals, including 150 leaders, innovators, artists, journalists, politicians, and change-makers from the U.S., Israel, and all around the globe. It also provided $4 million in funds to Israeli scouts to strengthen the US-Israeli relationship. The major donors of this group are pro-Israeli businessmen like Sheldon Adelson and Haim Saban, who contribute millions to this group. According to The Nation, the small group allegedly shares close ties with an Israeli intelligence agency and created a network of surveillance to overcome the activities of pro-Palestinian students in colleges and universities and also frontline actors in counter-student protests in the U.S. across different universities.
Christians United for Israel (CUFI)
Christians United for Israel (CUFI) is one of the most prominent and pro-Israeli lobby groups, containing approximately 10 million members in the United States. The first and foremost objective of this pro-Israeli group is to defend the so-called right of Greater Israel at any cost. A Zionist Christian founded the lobby named John Charles Hagee in 2006 to promote support for Israel from grassroots levels.
For 18 years, the group has arranged most pro-Israeli rallies and demonstrations. John Hagee considers himself evangelical and delivers sermons based on racist, anti-LGBT, and anti-Semite rhetorics and also emphasizes the Biblical prophecy about Israel and the second coming of Jesus ( Hazrat Isa) and the need for Christians’ support for Israel. Hagee also claims that Christians United for Israel (CUFI) is one of the most prominent pro-Israel lobbies containing millions of members.
After the October 7 attacks by Hamas, the lobby collected millions of funds and came out to support Israeli attacks on Gaza. According to an analysis by Open Secret, the lobbying arm of CUFI led by the daughter of John Hagee, Sandra Hagee Parker, who spent $240000 in the federal government for pro-Israeli policies in 2022. Thus far, in 2023, the CUFI has spent $180000 in lobbying, supporting legislation for more sanctions on Iran, decreasing U.S. participation in the U.N. since the October 7 crisis, and insisting the U.S. deliver more arms to Israel.
Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)
ZOA is one of the oldest and first Zionist pro-Israeli groups in the U.S., established in 1897 and played a leading role in establishing a homeland (Israel) for Jews. The group is the leading actor behind the driving force in shifting the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It works to promote a positive and peaceful image of Israel in the U.S. as well as in the whole world. ZOA is active in the U.S. to counter perceived anti-Israel or anti-Semitic sentiment and to promote favorable U.S.-Israel relations by influencing public opinion through various media platforms, educational materials, and campaigns.
American Jewish Committee (AJC)
AJC is also one of the oldest leading pro-Israeli groups, established in November 1906. It has a global reach of almost 41 global offices. The main focus of this group is American Jews to shape their opinion to support Israel. It conducts research and sponsors some research institutes to find facts-based findings about the general Jewish opinions about Israel. After that, it makes different policies based on those facts. It also works to influence U.S. policies towards Israel. It engages presidents, prime ministers, and national government officials of educational institutions to respond to schematism (anti-Israeli).
Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is a pro-Israeli and human rights activist group founded in September 1913. In its early periods, the group strongly opposed the rise of Nazism in Europe and rising sentiments of racism in the U.S. During the Cold War, it opposed McCarthyism and advocated for civil rights in the U.S. The group is active in promoting laws against antisemitism and also lobbies to interpret the term antisemitism in U.S. legislation. According to The Guardian, it spent $100000 in 2020 and $1.6 million in 2024 for lobbying to combat anti-Zionis, anti-Semitic, and anti-Israeli narratives in the U.S.
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF)
The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) was founded in 1981 to provide support to injured soldiers, veterans, and families of fallen soldiers. FIDF operates 15 regional offices in Panama and the United States and collects funds for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the U.S. According to the Jewish News Service, FIDF raises approximately $80 million annually.
Hadassah and the Women’s Zionist Organization of America
Hadassah is one of the leading pro-Israeli women-led groups in the U.S., containing approximately 300,000 members. It was created by a Jewish female named Henrietta Szold in 1912 to serve Jews. The group founded two hospitals in Jerusalem and raised funds to run them effectively. The group does not involve itself much in political lobbies for Israel; instead, it raises funds to help Israeli people in the health sector, particularly during wars.
Conclusion
The United States’ relentless support for Israel, driven by strong lobbying groups, has significant and widespread implications. Despite international criticism and the resulting casualties from Israel’s military actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon, the U.S. continues to offer extensive military, economic, and diplomatic support. This stance has weakened U.S. relations with Muslim countries and Middle Eastern nations, damaged its global reputation as a champion of democracy and human rights, and highlighted perceived inconsistencies in its foreign policy.
If this approach continues, it could lead to heightened regional instability, economic and diplomatic costs, internal political rifts, and a potential reassessment of U.S. foreign policy. Policymakers need to urgently heed these consequences and aim for a balanced approach that reflects The Rule Based Order’s values and can foster lasting peace in the Middle East.
(The views expressed in this article belong only to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy or views of World Geostrategic Insights).
Image Credit: AFP