The Future of Israel Depends on the Allies It Chooses

For Israel, repairing ties with the international community will be a mammoth undertaking. In terms of public opinion, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to roll back the clock to a time when Israel enjoyed broad support or when many simply didn’t have an opinion.

This will affect elections worldwide, influence what politicians say about Israel, and shape how countries build and maintain their relationships with the state. It would therefore behoove the Israeli government to stop selling fantasies of being a “super-Sparta” or a "nation that dwells alone,” and instead work to repair relationships, not through hasbara and talking points, but by doing the hard work of being a worthy friend and ally.

Unfortunately, the current Israeli government sees the best way forward as investing further in unsavoury, anti-democratic, and in many cases openly antisemitic partners who will uncritically support Israeli government policy.

This is not new. The strategy of building close ties with the American GOP while shunning the Democrats has been underway for decades. But a fracture that perhaps should have been predicted long ago is now breaking this strategy apart.

The Heritage Foundation, the right-wing think tank behind the Trump administration’s anti-democratic Project 2025, recently came under fire after its president defended conservative commentator Tucker Carlson for hosting white nationalist Nick Fuentes on his show.

The issue runs much deeper than whether Fuentes, who is banned from most social media platforms for his inflammatory antisemitic, Nazi-supporting rhetoric, should have been given a spotlight on Carlson’s show, or whether Roberts should have defended the choice.

The real issue is that a right wing that supports Israel out of self-interest and antisemitic theological beliefs is not truly a friend to Israel. It will eventually turn on the state in line with its isolationist, white nationalist ideology and conspiracy theories.

Both the political Right and Left harbour extremist elements whose common cause is antisemitism. For both, conspiracy theories about Jews controlling the world, the “Zionist agenda,” and a host of other misconceptions about Israel, many of which sit squarely within antisemitism, provide comfort to those seeking to make sense of a world they feel excluded from, unable to navigate, or that they believe is conspiring against them.

The difference, however, is that successive Israeli governments have allowed extremism on the Left to inaccurately define the entire movement, while making excuses for, and even cozying up to, these same elements on the Right.

By isolating any political position even somewhat critical of Israel, while assuming a strong Conservative alternative would defend them, Israel has created a dangerous new reality in which not only left-wing support, but much of the right-wing as well, has eroded.

The most frustrating part is that while antisemitism absolutely exists across the political spectrum, much of the critique from progressives and the Left came not from hatred of Israel or Jews, but from a desire to see an Israel that upholds the shared values our countries claim to hold.

For much of the evangelical right, however, the relationship with Israel was built on messianic visions of the end times and biblical prophecies that ultimately sacrifice Jews and Israel for their own self-interest.

This week marked 30 years since the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, z”l. Among the many lessons we can take from Rabin is the importance of Israel remaining engaged with all facets of the diaspora Jewish community, and of viewing some of the most “pro-Israel” organizations with a healthy degree of skepticism.

Rabin understood that staunchly right-wing pro-Israel groups such as AIPAC and the Conference of Presidents opposed his moves toward peace, the Oslo Accords, and a two-state solution. He also understood that building an alternative political force in the diaspora aligned with his vision was key to advancing the peace process, even if he didn’t always agree with the diaspora Jewish left.

Deliberately choosing to alienate Jews, many of whom are Zionist, and many more of whom care deeply about how Israel, which claims to act in their name, conducts itself, while cozying up to isolationist, antisemitic extremists is not only a poor and failing strategy, it puts all Jews, in Israel and the diaspora alike, in danger.

There are countless Jews and allies who care deeply about Israel and, precisely because of that, want to see it uphold its commitments to equality, democracy, and justice. We are eager to build, strengthen, and sustain relationships with Israel and Israelis.

Israeli political leaders would do well to engage with us, even if it means answering difficult questions, critically examining policy, and taking risks for peace.

The alternative, placing all their faith in fickle and dangerous bedfellows, is already showing signs of failure and fracture, and will only make the world more dangerous for Jews everywhere.

The promise of Zionism was not only a homeland for Jews in the land of Israel, but also increased safety for Jews in the diaspora. Our fates are forever bound, and only by working with those who share that vision, not with dangerous, messianic, or self-serving partners, can we ensure that future reality.