The long-standing alliance between the United States and Israel has often been hailed as the most special bilateral relationship, but in reality, it is the strangest partnership in the world. Recent events ha ve highlighted the peculiarities of this alliance, ranging from cynical to surreal.
An example of this strangeness was witnessed when the US ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, tweeted a video of himself alongside Israeli soldiers at the Israeli-Lebanese border, wishing everyone "Shabbat Shalom." This bewildering display of support for the Israeli military, which remains in a de facto state of war with Lebanon, occurred amidst escalating tensions between the two countries.
In early June, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant threatened to bomb Lebanon back into the "Stone Age" if the Lebanese group Hezbollah initiates a war. Additionally, Amir Baram, the head of Israel's northern command, declared that in the event of a war, the Israeli army would demolish all infrastructure in southern Lebanon, a potential war crime.
Just three days after the "Shabbat Shalom" video, the Israeli army deployed 1,000 troops from its elite forces, along with armored vehicles, helicopters, and drones, into the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Within hours, at least eight Palestinians, including children, were killed.
During this time of Israel snubbing the US, its closest and most generous ally, through increasing frequency and intensity, Nides, a former banker turned diplomat, engaged in a publicity stunt.
Israeli officials not only launched deadly assaults on Palestinians but also challenged the official US stance in support of Palestinian statehood. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently stated in the Knesset's foreign policy committee that Israel must "crush" the idea of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu has openly disregarded US warnings against fostering closer ties with China, announcing his upcoming trip to Beijing while being ignored by President Joe Biden's administration, which has not extended an invitation to visit Washington.
Netanyahu and his ministers have not hesitated to express dissatisfaction with Biden's policies. In March, Netanyahu accused the American leader of interfering in Israeli affairs over his comments about a controversial judicial reform. In February, Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli reprimanded Nides for interfering in Israel's internal matters.
Nides is not the only US official involved in peculiar diplomatic gestures amid growing criticism from the Israeli government. Last month, Secretary of State Tony Blinken lobbied Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel despite its expanding illegal settlements and violence against Palestinians.
Furthermore, the US Congress announced that Israeli President Isaac Herzog would address both houses to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Israeli statehood, an honor previously granted to Netanyahu three times.
Israel's objective is to keep the US engaged in the Middle East to handle its own problems. Netanyahu candidly admitted this, stating that China's involvement in the region might not be so bad as it compels America to stay engaged, albeit on Israel's side.
The Middle East's hostility towards the US is largely driven by its longstanding support for what regional countries perceive as a warmongering colonial state. Only by freeing itself from Israel's paranoid influence can the US begin to act as a responsible and respected actor in the region.
