ISRAEL | America's Broken Alliance? 

This is another topic I’ve wanted to cover for ages. The relationship between Israel and the United States is fascinating in all sorts of ways and has a somewhat less straightforward history than many realise. But how should we understand the current tensions? Is the rift deeper or shallower than it seems? And should the US continue to bear the diplomatic burden of supporting Israel if this Israeli Government (or a future one) doesn’t make any effort to reach a comprehensive final settlement on Palestine? As always, I look forward to your comments below.

So many issues started with Britain.

So what I observed is that Israel has only faced crticism and nothing else for its illegal activities for the past 70 years and uptil today aswell

Your balanced and dispassionate analysis is a relief to hear in the current polarized environment. Edit: You ask for views on this. Israel and Palestine both have the “right to exist”, even if a virulent zero sum mentality seems to be gaining steam. The U.S. must remain engaged, and continue to fail to find a solution, until a solution is eventually found.

This is not the first UNSC resolution criticizing Israel that the US has abstained (UNSC 2334). For the last few years, there has been a pattern of when Israel escalates things the US becomes increasingly frustrated until eventually does something to show its frustration with Israel's actions. But when things calm down all sides just sort of forget everything that happened and go back to having good relations. Netanyahu might also be betting that Biden will leave the white house in the upcoming presidential elections (as most analysts predict) and wait for the return of his buddy Donald Trump who is a staunch Israel supporter.

It's interesting to see the only country that interfers so clearly and openly in internal affairs in the United States isn't Russia or China but it's israel The lobbying groups have became so powerful it would be uncomfortable for anyone with power to stand against Israel

I think you should've mentioned Russia and Israeli relationship too.

We should remember the United States, along the United Kingdom, were the last holdouts supporting Apartheid South Africa. New century, old apartheid but the support continues.

This was a fantastic and much-needed breakdown, cutting through all the noise. Thanks as always for your tempered analysis professor!

What do people even mean when they refer to Israel's "Right to exist"? This is a state we're talking about, and a _state_ can't have rights the same way a person can. It's really starting to sound like people really mean "Israel's right to ethnically cleanse the people who were already living there". You don't have some inherent, unalienable right to steal from someone else. Edit: Israel’s leadership has clearly committed to “might makes right”, flouting international law. If someone else conquers them (I.e. Iran), what is the issue, from the moral framework they operate with? “Right to exist” is just more propaganda designed to obscure the real strategic reason why the West ships weapons to Israel. The west doesn’t have some inherent moral duty to defend Israel, if their position in the region is untenable then that’s not our responsibility, and it’s absurd to let them drag us into another war.

American here and don’t support US aid to Israel whatsoever

Four billions dollars a year and expensive weapons from United State, Israel maybe have powerfull lobbies in United State.

I think a lot of the younger Americans are insanely less supportive of Israel. Netanyahu and Israel lost the media battle and didn't even bother really doing anything about it. Especially, when all we're now seeing is just devastated cities in Gaza and that these people are basically trapped between Israel and Egypt with nowhere to flee. Bibi is also a major part of the problem because it's downright impossible to really like the guy based off what he says and does (Israeli polling seems to indicate they don't even like him). Anyways, as far as American public opinion goes it has been slipping for quite some time and the next generation is going to tolerate a lot less from Israel than they've become used to.

Israel is probably the most difficult thing to discuss in world politics. However you professor, you did the best you can explaining things. I bet you had to be VERY careful when making this video.

US has been used for 70 years and didn't know it.

1917... it makes you rethink both WWs' history 😢

10:26 you forgot the haniball directive.

Bibi said even if the hostages are released he wont stop.

Americans so called "special relationship" with Israel cannot break up fast enough.

The rift will not increase or jeopardise the status quo with respect to the US and Israeli relationship. It’s an election year in the US so I believe a lot of what is said publicly is window dressing. The US will remain a staunch ally of Israel militarily and on the geopolitical scene for the foreseeable future.

Great video, one small nitpick: the photo used at 5:50 is of C-17 Globemaster III aircraft facing the camera, which did not enter service until 1995. Additionally, all aircraft are sporting USAF Air Mobility Command’s gray paint livery, which was introduced after the Gulf War. All of this is to say this photo couldn’t have been from an operation in 1973. Searching around it appears the Nixon Foundation made this mistake first, which is where I assume the error originates. Again, great video overall, just a slight nitpick.

Once again my thanks

From victim to be a prepeator.. So disappointing

This is a thoughtful, well done historic break down of a very complicated issue. While I understand why the US supported Israel in the past, they are behaving worse than Russia, our self proclaimed nemesis, so it seems pretty hypocritical and it undermines the US position on the world stage as beacons of freedom, democracy and self-determination

Gaza Strip is but a Sliver. I ain't cryin' no damn River.

No. The US is simply concerned that a Rafah invasion combined with reckless military strikes could endanger the Camp David Peace Accords due to Rafah being right near the Egyptian border (refugee crisis + Sinai becoming a battlefield again). There's also a possible domino effect with UAE then suspending diplomatic relations and Saudi Arabia ruling out diplomatic relations. Both countries could then deepen ties with Russia and China. Also the US wants Israel to prepare to fight Iran which explains the massive amount of US weapon shipments to Israel. That stuff isn't for taking out Hamas in Rafah. Israel has more than enough military resources to do that already. There's probably also a concern that Israel is focusing its attention too much on Gaza and so will be unprepared for a military confrontation with Iran due to spread out military resources. I think there's also a fear that all or most of the hostages are dead at this point and so this indeed is a tactic used to embroil Israel endlessly in Gaza without a sustained victory.

Why is the world so fu@ked up?

These changes might be temporary bearing in mind the world opinion. Sure, the weapons and military aid will continue behind the scene. This is just to stop the world moving against the US. Prof. James has given a very good review, but these feelings that I have expressed are based on past history. Hope things will end up peacefully.

You need to cover the bombing of a sovereign territory of Iran in Syria, their consulate by israel.

Nicely balanced and unbiased analysis. Thank you.

Even Realpolitiks has limits, but the consequences beyond such could be shattering.

Hello James, can you cover the Corfu Channel Case which took place in 1946. The representative from Nicaragua Carlos Arguello Gomez, presented the case at the ICJ that Germany may have facilitated the genocide in Gaza. During his presentation, Mr Gomez referenced the ruling of the ICJ that Britain put forwards against Albania. How do these cases relate? Thanks.

the irony of becoming what you once hated

This was so informative and clearly laid out. Thank you!

Thank you for this thoughtful video

It’s not real until the arms shipments stop

If a new Israeli government came into power, I believe that most of the tensions would reset. I think a lot has to do Netanyahu himself. The fact that he has been in power for so long in Israel has made him the face of Israel's maximalist policies. New leadership would allow Israel a chance to re-calibrate their approach, and I think in the US they would give a new government a shot to see if they can do better. I think an underlying issue as well is when Netanyahu backed Mitt Romney in the 2012, he turned broad, Bipartisan support for Israel into a more partisan topic. I think by so overtly picking a side in a presidential election had many democrats ask the question 'why should we support this guy?". What do you see now? The last major in person diplomatic exchange was Benny Gantz, the opposition leader, meeting with Kamela Harris a month ago.

How would America have felt if world had sided with Al Quida after 9/11?

Professor I wanted to start by saying you did an excellent job at covering such tricky geopolitical analysis. If there is one criticism I can offer that would be that in many parts of the video the assumption was that viewers are well versed in the matter. I know there is a time constraint and knowing you for a long time I know it was done with honest intent but I still wanted to point that out.

I certainly appreciate seeing this video, I am really open to learning the political history of the Middle East. I don't know if you read many comments Professor Ker-Lindsay, but I am aware of some history regarding ethnic violence between the Israeli and Arab inhabitants of the area; I'm really curious on what you would have had to say regarding that aspect of the history between the two, as it definitely seems relevant to this topic because the foundation of Israel created lots of tension in that area and there was a massive demographic change and there was violence perpetrated on both sides, making the situation as tense as it is today. I know just enough (or so I think), but I really was interested to see what you could have to say regarding that specific aspect. I really wanted to see what you had to say; I do not know if it is too contentious for you to speak on, or if you thought the topic simply was less relevant to the political history, but could you comment on any thoughts about that?

Technicality here, I don’t believe there is an alliance treaty between USA and Israel. It’s the USA being beholden to Israel John Mearsheimer wrote a book on that.

Insightful

This is a difficulty topic and it is impossible to objectively cover all aspects of the conflict and of the "special" relationship, but I think that the "crisis" should be viewed much more in light of the American pivot to Asian and it's withdrawal from the ME and Iran's growing influence in the region. The current war has very little to do with the creation of a Palestinian state along side Israel. America, and maybe the Israeli left are the only ones pursuing it (maybe). Hamas, Hizballah, the Houthis, Kata'ib Hezbollah in Iraq, IRGC and the Syrian govt are on one side and they don't understand the "Zionist entity" as a legitimate state regardless of its borders. It is so hard to think of the creation of a Palestinian state as something that Israel could just "create" regardless of the will of the actors on the ground and live in peace with as happy neighbors. On the other hand is obvious that Biden's pressure on Israel is in line with his decision to abandon Afghanistan and the Kurds and leave only token troops in Iraq and Syria, and Iranian growing influence over those states. I'm not saying that there is nothing that Israel should do about Palestinians, but the relationship has other important developments outside of their control

Just as long as American legislators are available for purchase I don't see the situation changing much. However Arab states are getting more and more involved in the bidding.

1:45 our story begins with the Brits and French betraying the Arabs they promised to aid in exchange for rebelling against the ottomans and then gunning down the people who were already living in Palestine. That’s where the story starts.

Why aren't they allowed into talking people into being evil into talking people into hurting other people for their own good❤

Look at the ones we can not talk about. Gods special ones. Uss liberty was covered up well, miitary men threatened if they talk.

Alliances usually only make sense if there is enough benefit to outweigh the cost of having them. The obvious question here is what is the benefit to USA? Israel is more trouble than it’s worth and causes constant headaches for the Americans, cost billions to provide aid for even though it’s ostensibly a 1st world country and the vast majority of Americans have no cultural or historic roots to the Middle East or Judaism as a religion. What does America gain except lots of new enemies mostly in the Islamic world?

7:28 The Oslo Accords did not include "a commitment to recognize a Palestinian state". The text of the agreement does not refer to the future of creation of a Palestinian state. Yitzhak Rabin opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, instead calling for "something less than a state". Please include a correction.

If the relationship between the USA and Israel is diminished, or if the USA loses its position as global hegemon, Israel will draw on the experience of 4 millennium of how to leech onto the next global superpower for support of its ambitions in Palestine and globally.

Lets the american taxpayers start questioning the whereabouts of over 297 billions in aid to israel, and what those amount has bringuin to their well bings aswell as for their childrens.

Am I correct in understanding that Hamas is not fundamentally Palestinian in creation or leadership but their troops are in some part acquired by enlistment of local Palestinians.

30-32ish years after the U.S. had just fought a massive war, moved peace along with Israel-Palestine, elected a young president socially liberal but economically conservative, came out of a recession, the House went Republican populist insane, Colorado used its ‘states’ right’ to discriminate against gays (temporarily), now in 2024 we are on the verge of….

"If you aren't voting for me, you aren't black" Joe Biden 2020

I must admit to being a little indifferent to the issue even though I studied Near Eastern History at Uni, as I really don't care for either Israel or Palestine, both contain exceptionally objectionable groups within their borders, though I perceive the long term direct threat to North American security to be far greater from the Muslim Palestinians whose direct threats against the Western way of life should be taken with all seriousness!

Professor, I have to disagree in one point completely: The US will not broker any peace initiative any time soon; the US is not in the hegemonic position that it used to be and the Palestine public (as much as the general sentiment in the region) is that the US would not be a neutral mediator. I see China, or even Brazil with Netanyahu out of the government being mediators more than the US.

This is certainly an interesting time in terms of Israeli politics. I wonder how the U.S. will react to the upcoming actions in Gaza because I really don't know.

Good outline of historical facts. Civilization began in that region from ancient times.. And if this war escalates, World War 3 may be the consequence. Already military leaders in US have sounded the alarm. Time for leaders to ensure peace returns.

Thx Prof., not as entertaining as your video on Italy and San Marino. I'm going to sustain on this one, basically because I haven't figured out what my position is on this one. When hasn't Israel attacked Gaza? I was watching this incredible video on 9/11 and what was on the news that day? Israel attacking Gaza. The whole situation just makes want to scream in frustration. Have a great weekend.

Am I say it's been really tough for me to understand the ideas of Civility after the s*** I've been through who sings to Sweet old Baptist lady I get it

Brother we missed you.

What about US-Sammarinese relations?

The 2 sides know each other very well. It's almost as if they already have some sort of sub rosa agreement. If one side seems to be ready to settle, the other does something to torpedo it and they kind of take turns. But really its just that neither side wants 2 states so where does one start?

But theyre the chosen ones

Not troubled. All show

I've never really understood the US/ Israeli alliance- and after watching this I still don't get it.

Great Analysis!

There is no doubt that the Jewish lobby in America is the most powerful of all other lobbies . This is the main reason we see strong America Israel ties . However I've always felt that America is using Israel to acheive it's foreign policy objectives . Especially now that Islamic terrorism is the main enemy of the west America needs Israel more than ever so it is my opinion this rift we see now is more shallower than we think . There are so things America could do to force Israels hand in a Middle East peace settlement but instead we see the opposite . I beleive this is done deliberately in order to keep stoking the fire .

🌟... "Anyone can easily understand why the present Israel, which in itself concentrates all the evils and abominations committed on earth by colonialism and Nazism, and which is just the extreme opposite of the kingdom of Peace and Justice to come for all the descendants of Adam, Noah and Abraham of the Eternal One, is reaching the limits of its imposture". ... "Amen" !

The differences between the two are historically ideological religious,you need to understand the main long term aims of both which if you look back in time historically are about the destruction of one or the other due to opposing differences.In capital cities around the world they live side by side .Co exsistance is achievable by the laws that prevail to include both in different countries.So sad that in 2024 they are still doing what they did thousands of years ago.

When I think about the amount of economic and political strife the US covered Israel from, I feel slightly irritated. It's not that America dealt with 73', for example, but that we did it for the worst people and reasons.

Good job covering a very sensitive topic, Prof! I would however suggest doing a longer video when it comes to topics with this level of controversy and complication, to ensure you have time to give relevant context for people who aren't so familiar. Personally I wonder if the USA would still be so enthusiastic about protecting Israel's statehood if it (the US) didn't have so much vested in the balance of power in the Middle East... and if Iran wasn't a problem. I rather suspect not, especially given rising public awareness in the past few years about the repression campaigns and human rights violations Israel has carried out. I still find the original UN division insanely idiosyncratic and badly managed, but that's the way the cookie crumbles... in the end as always, it's the civilians on both sides that get shafted.

Tell me about it

Does anybody wonder why they were rejected

Why do you keep criminals als your alliance? Why do you continue backing Netanyahu ? He is not the only culprit ......

Ugh, wake me up when the Levantine Confederation exists

Greeting from Turkiye 🇹🇷

You should have described the internal political situation in Israel and the distinct possibility of a drastic change in Israel’s strategy after the probable upcoming elections in Israel that will decimate the likud party in Israel

3:07 in violation of the league covenant article 22 Versailles treaty. There the unitary right of self determination is stablish. Because right are not negotiable the partitions is if fact ilegal because hinders the self determination right of palestians.

An important story to cover. Done in your usual contextual manner. Thanks as always Prof 👍🏻👍🏻

God Loves EVERYONE. I HOPE EVERYONE builds a relationship with JESUS.

Uss liberty

All you need to do to find out about Zionisim and Israel is listen to Jonathan Pollard podcasts to go into the minds of Israelis

He said nothing new. Nothing will change.

Qutb's mindless minions, they thought they were so Grand. And now their bones be dryin' out a layin' in the Sand.

Dang that's brutal, what are we gonna do Professor James?

First!

0:33 Lobby

Doesn't the US spend more in countries where they have boots on the ground?

Что могут понять о мусульманском мире американцы и европейцы, когда их женщины с 1837 начали учиться в университетах наравне с мужчинами, когда уже в 1897 году 86 % студентов учились в университетах вместе с женщинами, а в Стэнфордском университете было столько женщин, что пришлось ограничивать число мест для них до 500, поскольку их становилось больше, чем мужчин. А в одной из таких самых самых просвещенных мусульманских стран, как Саудовская Аравия, девочкам разрешали учиться аж до 6 класса, а недавно по указу короля, наконец разрешили водить машины. В Афганистане, и прочих шиттистанах жена являляется полной собственностью мужчины. Стоимость 15-летней девственницы 30 овец. За тридцать овец мужчина покупает ее себе как жену в неограниченное владение.Торговля девственницами идет полным ходом. Малолетними девственницами платят долги. Девятилетних девочек выдавают замуж за стариков в обмен на продукты для семьи на зиму. То, что мужчина, купивший жену, имеет полную власть и над ней и над ее детьми даже не обсуждается. И вот эта экономическая реальность женщины и детей как собственности - это то, с чем НИКОГДА не расстанутся мусульманские мужчины. Это то, что они никогда не позволят у себя никакой Западной цивилизации отобрать. Не забывайте, что Израиль - острие копья Западной цивилизации. Нигде женщина не обладает такой свободой, идущая с непокрытыми волосами и особенно с автоматом на плече. Самый последний нищий мусульманский голодранец полностью ВЛАДЕЕТ женой и детьми. Поэтому даже в Америке ослушавшихся дочерей они убивают. Они называют это honor killing. Для них лучше убить дочь, чем потерять власть над ней, потерять владение собственностью. Психология, которую американцы никогда не поймут. На границе Узбекистана и Афганистана дома не имели окон на улицу. Только окна во двор. Чтобы женщины сами не глазели и чтобы их никто не видел. Из дома только выход на базар, да и то только в сопровождении отца, брата или родственника. Девочкам в восемь лет одевают чадру с узкой прорезью для глаз. Раньше даже эта прорезь была закрыта сеткой из конского волоса. Сетка была грязной, пыль в ней застревала, и девочки получали трахому, страшное заболевание глаз, ведущее к слепоте. В восемь лет девочка уже не имела права разговаривать ни с одним мужчиной за исключением отца и братьев. Она оставалась с матерью на женской половине дома. О ее учебе заботились мало и уже через несколько лет продавали замуж, причем часто второй, а то и третьей женой. Дом в два этажа - означал две жены, дом в три этажа - три жены. Ее общение было ограничено малограмотной матерью и такими же детьми, как она. Столкновение с реальностью - редкие выходы на базар. Через несколько лет она сама становилась матерью и иногда к тридцати годам имела девять детей. Выглядела на шестьдесят. Жертва насильственного информационного голода, она оставалась инфантильным полуживотным. Тупость не делала ее ни красивее, ни моложе. Грязная черная чадра становилась спасением. Как женщина под ней выглядит и что на ней надето, никто не видит. Проблема в том, что мальчики проводят с этими насильственно отупленными матерями тоже почти до восьми лет: торчат на женской половине или играют на улице. На Востоке не мужское это дело - с детьми общаться. Когда они переходят в руки отцов, уже поздно. Дефективное интеллектуальное недоразвитие, искусственно задержанное общением только с детьми и инфантильными мамами, уже не исправить. Норму уже не догнать. Да и исправлять некому. Отцы -такие же тупые дети тупых матерей. Сын - это функция матери. Сыновья - двадцатилетние и бородатые, уже с оружием в руках, имеют мозги девятилетних детей-садистов, любящих мучать животных. Потом жертвами их садизма становятся люди. Единственное, чему они научились, - зарЕзать или нажать на курок. Для этого мозгов пятилетнего достаточно. Экономики во всех этих арабских странах убиты вместе с гражданскими свободами. Нефть их или спасает, или губит, иногда создавая временную иллюзию нормальности. Женщины их не только патологически ограниченны но и зависимы. Как говорила Айн Рэнд, “Dependence breeds hatred” . Потому рабы так полны ненависти. Эти женщины-рабыни в переполненных тесных жилищах в чудовищной, естественной для многодетности нищете, усиливаемой безграмотностью, становятся злобными до ярости фуриями, выливающими свою злобу на детей. Эта злоба создает и воспроизводит садизм. Пока европейская женщина университет закончит, найдет работу, у этой уже выводок таких же тупых полуживотных, как она. Тупость размножается по геометрической прогрессии. Оборот поколений в три раза быстрее. Экономику они без колонизаторов -европейцев или евреев - создавать не способны. Во всех этих шиттистанах один на углу питу продает, 15 безработных стоят вокруг и завидуют. Вот и вся экономика. В Египте, Кении и других бывших британских колониях до сих пор стонут в тоске по англичанам. Ведь эти проклинаемые всеми университетскими профессорами колонизаторы им водопровод провели, поезда пустили, дороги построили, европейскую медицину привезли. Арабы-мусульмане испытывают чудовищную зависть и злобу к Западной цивилизации, потому что цивилизацию со средним IQ 86 им не освоить. Злобу надо на кого-то вылить. Это единственный способ живыми себя почувствовать. По Данным Нигеля Фараж ( Nigel Farage), Британского политического лидера, 64% палестинских беженцев в Дании становятся преступникам и идут в тюрьму. 46% их детей следуют в тюрьму за родителями.

You ignore the ethnic cleansing that began at least in January 1948 and had expelled more than 300,000 Palestinians by May 15th.

Professor! You did a good analysis. Is difficult when it comes Palestine and Isreal

The attitude of the US, like in the case of that other nation defending itself from acts of aggression (Ukraine), only reveals how unreliable the US really is with respect to its allies. One can't help but wonder if the US wouldn't also throw the Baltic countries in NATO under the bus if they got into a too troublesome situation.

I would love to see a free Palestine. But I also realise that people born nowadays have nothing to do with Israels politics. I just hope Arabs and Jews can live in peace, with a Palestinian state if possible. We, as the west, should do everything possible to create a real Palestine.

Never trust any of personal ambitions and their oligopoly.. hmmmm.. I guess personal ambitions overwrite their logical sense.. hmmmm.. Israel 🇮🇱 as a universal language, must stand on its own... hmmmm.. If the tribes of Israel 🇮🇱 could understand this.. hmmmm ☹️.. I need my rear guard.. right now.

Let the Lord keep President Biden safe and sound

I think it would be great to do a video on the Palestinian leadership, and Palestinian relations with surrounding Muslim countries and their history . The West Bank and Gaza were under Egypt and Jordans control for years. Jordan to this day has a large Palestinian population.How was that time and how did it compare to with Israel now and affect their relationships to this day? I think any peace long term has to involve the surrounding countries as well as Israel and Palestine . Also there seems to be separate Palestinian leadership in Hamas in Gaza and the PLO in the West Bank. Also there’s the Palestinian Diaspora who don’t live in Gaza or the West Bank and have a different experience and leaders.I’d assume people living in all three areas would have differing views and opinions. Who represents the Palestinians in these areas and who could be a potential leader for peace or an obstacle to it. Like I’ve seen people compare the Palestinian movement to the anti apartheid movement and the civil rights movement but with those movements there were clear known leaders. Martin Luther King Jr., Ella Baker,Fannie Lou Hammer,A Philip Randolph,John Lewis, Dorothy Irene Height, Roy Wilkins and more for the civil rights movement. The anti apartheid movement had leaders like Nelson Mandela;Desmond Tutu, Vella Pillay, Ros Ainslie, Abdul Minty and Nanda Naidoo. I don’t really know of many Palestinian leadership in comparison. Also within the leadership is there there a Martin Luther King / Ghandi non violent protest type leader or movement because the more violent conflict between Israel and Palestinians gets in the news and more attention. I heard of one march to the border sometime but not sure if there was an actual focused movement . Sorry for all the questions.

It's more like a puppet-master relationship. I'll let you guess which is which.

Will the US afford to lose an alliance with Israel? Especially, when Russian siting nextdoor in Syria or China willing to operate strategic Israeli ports?

I'd say business as usual. Too much conflation about an endgame that's been in process for decades. Besides who wants to be on the "project canary" shit list! 🤔