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Why the US-Israel Alliance Is More Vital Than Ever
An Israeli flag and an American flag fly at Abu Dhabi International Airport before the arrival of Israeli and U.S. officials, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates August 31, 2020. REUTERS/Christoper Pike
When the United States unleashed the GBU-57 “bunker buster” on Iran’s fortified nuclear sites during the recent Middle East conflict, it didn’t just send shockwaves through the Middle East.
Although Trump made it clear that the strike was to serve American interests, and not Israel — many still claimed Trump acted on Israel’s behalf. This reignited an old debate here at home: Why, exactly, is America so committed to Israel?
For critics, the answer is always the same: shadowy influence from pro-Israel lobbying groups, with AIPAC cast as the chief culprit. It’s the same tired script — a blend of conspiracy and double standard — that’s been dusted off for decades with one recent example being the 2003 Iraq War.
But the reality, if we take the time to look, is starkly different: this alliance is one of the most mutually beneficial relationships in US foreign policy. It strengthens US security, boosts the US economy, and reflects hard-earned historical lessons about what happens when the Jewish people are left defenseless.
The Numbers Tell the Story
A 2016 RAND Corporation study found that for every dollar America spends on overseas security commitments, it gains roughly three dollars in economic return. US military alliances aren’t charity — they’re investments. And the US–Israel partnership is a textbook example.
Former CIA leaders have called Israel’s intelligence sharing the equivalent of “having five CIAs” working for us — a force multiplier against threats like Iran’s nuclear program and global terrorism. Israel’s battlefield innovations in counter-terrorism and urban warfare have directly shaped US Special Operations tactics.
Our defense industries benefit, too. Israel’s real-world use of F-16s and F-35s has saved US manufacturers billions in R&D by identifying upgrades and fixes under combat conditions. Joint projects like Iron Dome don’t just protect Israeli civilians — 60–70% of US funding for those systems goes straight into American factories, supporting millions of jobs.
It’s true that AIPAC is a high-profile advocacy organizations in Washington. In the 2023–24 cycle, its Super PAC spent about $37.9 million, and its traditional PAC gave around $3 million directly to candidates. That’s large compared to other diaspora advocacy groups — but it’s neither secretive nor foreign-funded. Every dollar comes from US citizens, and every activity falls within American campaign finance law.
And AIPAC is hardly unique in concept. Armenian-American groups advocate for strong US–Armenia ties. Cuban-American PACs promote pro-democracy policies for Cuba. The difference is scale, not kind — and scale reflects donor engagement and organizational focus, not hidden control.
The Historical Imperative
If the alliance were only about economics and security, it would still be worth defending. But history gives it an even deeper resonance.
The modern Zionist movement took shape in the ashes of antisemitic violence long before the Holocaust. After the assassination of Tsar Alexander II in 1881, Russian Jews endured brutal pogroms and the May Laws, which stripped them of basic rights.
When they tried to flee, the West often slammed its doors. Britain’s 1905 Aliens Act targeted poor Jewish refugees. America’s 1924 Johnson-Reed Act imposed harsh quotas that shut out Eastern European Jews entirely.
By the time the Evian Conference met in 1938, as Nazi persecution intensified, 32 nations expressed sympathy but refused to meaningfully raise immigration quotas. The following year, the MS St. Louis — carrying over 900 Jewish refugees — was turned away by Cuba, the US, and Canada. Many passengers were later murdered in the Holocaust.
Even after 1945, Jewish survivors faced pogroms in Eastern Europe — the Kielce massacre of 1946 being the most infamous. It became clear that without a sovereign state, Jews would always be at the mercy of others’ borders, policies, and prejudices.
Israel in Global Context
The displacement that accompanied Israel’s birth in 1948 was tragic — but it was not unique. In the same post-WWII period, 14.5 million people were displaced during the India–Pakistan partition, and 12 million ethnic Germans were expelled from Eastern Europe. Around 700,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled during Israel’s War of Independence; somewhat concurrently, roughly 850,000 Jews fled or were expelled from Arab and Muslim countries, most finding refuge in Israel.
Seen in that context, Israel’s founding fits into a broader historical pattern of population transfers aimed at resolving ethnic conflict — not as an unprecedented singular event.
A Partnership of Equals
Some in Israel now question whether US aid — $3.8 billion annually under the current Memorandum of Understanding — comes with too many strings attached. Likud MK Amit Halevi has suggested phasing it out to remove the leverage that Washington can exert on Israeli policy.
That’s a legitimate debate, and many in Washington, including at the Heritage Foundation, agree that the alliance should evolve toward a partnership of equals. But equal does not mean distant. It means recognizing the immense value each side brings — and ensuring the relationship continues to serve both nations’ interests.
The Iran strike wasn’t just a military operation — it was a real-time demonstration of what this alliance can do when the stakes are highest.
For America, the US–Israel relationship delivers intelligence, technology, and economic returns that far exceed its costs. For Israel, it offers a trusted partner that shares its democratic values and understands the lessons of history: that Jewish sovereignty is not optional, but essential.
In a world where both our nations face rising threats — from Tehran’s nuclear ambitions to the spread of terrorism — the case for this alliance has never been clearer.
Alexander Mermelstein, a recent USC graduate with a Master’s in Public Policy and Data Science, is an aspiring policy researcher focused on Middle East affairs and combating antisemitism.
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Israel’s Supreme Court Orders Improved Food for Security Prisoners
Israel’s Supreme Court. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
i24 News – Israel’s Supreme Court on Sunday instructed the Prison Service (Shabas) to guarantee adequate food supplies for security prisoners, ruling that current conditions fall short of minimum legal standards. The decision followed an appeal filed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.
In a 2–1 ruling, the court found that the food situation posed “a risk of non-compliance with legal standards.” Justice Dafna Barak-Erez stressed that the matter concerned “basic conditions necessary for survival, as required by law,” not comfort or privilege. Justice Ofer Grosskopf agreed, noting the state had not shown the policy was consistently applied to all inmates.
Justice David Mintz dissented, maintaining that the existing policy already met legal requirements.
The court underscored that Israel’s legal obligations remain binding, even in light of the ongoing hostage crisis in Gaza and the fact that many of the prisoners include Hamas members involved in the October 7, 2023 attack.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir condemned the ruling, arguing that while hostages in Gaza lack protection, “terrorist murderers, kidnappers, and rapists in prison” benefit from the Court’s intervention. He added that prisoners would continue receiving only the minimum conditions required by law.
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Ukrainian Government Building Set Ablaze in Record Russian Airstrike
Illustrative. More damage caused by the Russian drone that hit the Perlina school in Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 30, 2024. Photo: Jewish community JCC in Kyiv, Kyiv municipality, and Yan Dobronosov
i24 News – The Ukrainian government’s main building in Kyiv was hit overnight Saturday by Russian airstrikes for the first time since the war, igniting a fire in the building, authorities said. Firefighters are working to put out the flames.
“The government building was damaged by an enemy attack — the roof and upper floors,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko said. The blaze is is burning in the area of the office of the prime minister.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched a total of 805 drones and 13 missiles overnight on Ukraine — a record number since the start of the war.
Also as a result of the strike, a baby and a young woman were killed after a nine-story residential building was hit in the Svyatoshynsky district, also in Kyiv. Rescuers are still looking for a third body, authorities said. A woman was also reported killed in the strike in Novopavlivka village.
“The world must respond to this destruction not only with words, but also with actions. We need to increase sanctions pressure – primarily against Russian oil and gas. We need new restrictions that will hit the Kremlin’s military machine. And most importantly, Ukraine needs weapons. Something that will stop the terror and prevent Russia from trying to kill Ukrainians every day,” wrote Sviridenko after the attack.
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‘Trump’s Legacy Crumbles’: Israelis Call on US President to End Gaza War
Israeli protestors take part in a rally demanding the immediate release of the hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, and the end of war in Gaza, in Jerusalem September 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, issuing direct appeals to US President Donald Trump to force an end to the Gaza war and secure the release of the hostages.
Protesters packed a public square outside the military headquarters, waving Israeli flags and holding placards with images of the hostages. Some carried signs, including one that read: ‘Trump’s legacy crumbles as the Gaza war persists.’
Another said: “PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAVE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”
“We think that Trump is the only man in the world who has authority over Bibi, that can force Bibi to do this,” said Tel Aviv resident Boaz, 40, referring to the Israeli prime minister.
There is growing despair among many Israelis at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has ordered the military to capture a major urban center where hostages may be held.
Families of the hostages and their supporters fear the assault on Gaza City could endanger their loved ones, a concern the military leadership shares, according to Israeli officials.
Orna Neutra, the mother of an Israeli soldier who was killed on October 7, 2023 and whose body is being held in Gaza by militants, accused the government of abandoning its citizens.
“We truly hope that the United States will push both sides to finally reach a comprehensive deal that will bring them home,” she told the rally. Her son, Omer, is also American.
Tel Aviv has witnessed weekly demonstrations that have grown in size, with protesters demanding that the government secure a ceasefire with Hamas to obtain the release of hostages. Organizers said Saturday night’s rally was attended by tens of thousands. A large demonstration was also held in Jerusalem.
There are 48 hostages held in Gaza. Israeli officials believe that around 20 are still alive. Palestinian terrorists abducted 251 people from Israel on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led its attack. Most of the hostages who have been released were freed after indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
NO PURPOSE
Trump had pledged a swift end to the war in Gaza during his presidential campaign, but nearly eight months into his second term, a resolution has remained elusive. On Friday, he said that Washington was engaged in “very deep” negotiations with Hamas.
Israeli forces have carried out heavy strikes on the suburbs of Gaza City, where, according to a global hunger monitor, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are facing famine. Israeli officials acknowledge that hunger exists in Gaza but deny that the territory is facing famine. On Saturday, the military warned civilians in Gaza City to leave and move to southern Gaza.
There are hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering in the city that was home to around a million before the war.
A video released by Hamas on Friday featured Israeli hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24, saying that he was being held in Gaza City and feared being killed by the military’s assault on the city. Rights groups have condemned such videos of hostages as inhumane. Israel says that it is psychological warfare.
The war has become unpopular among some segments of Israeli society, and opinion polls show that most Israelis want Netanyahu’s right-wing government to negotiate a permanent ceasefire with Hamas that secures the release of the hostages.
“The war has no purpose at all, except for violence and death,” said Boaz from Tel Aviv. Adam, 48, said it had become obvious that soldiers were being sent to war for “nothing.”
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military since it launched its retaliatory war after Hamas fighters attacked Israel from Gaza in October 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed in that attack on southern Israel.
The terrorist group, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades but today controls only parts of the enclave, on Saturday once again said that it would release all hostages if Israel agreed to end the war and withdraw its forces from Gaza.
Netanyahu is pushing for an all-or-nothing deal that would see all of the hostages released at once and Hamas surrendering.
The prime minister has said Gaza City is a Hamas stronghold and capturing it is necessary to defeat the Palestinian militant group, whose October 2023 attack on Israel led to the war.
Hamas has acknowledged it would no longer govern Gaza once the war ends but has refused to discuss laying down its weapons.