Israel

THE STATE OF ISRAEL HAS long been an important aspect of American politics. The United States has provided Israel with unprecedented aid and support, almost single-handedly ensuring that Israel continues to prosper in the Middle East. Much controversy arises from this relationship, and American politicians have long felt international criticism about why they give so much support to the Jewish state. One contention is that because of the global importance of the Middle East, America's support for Israel gives it a viable partner in the region. The other contention is that America's support for Israel is based on domestic political goals of gaining important Jewish American votes and, equally as important, donations from pro-Israel government lobbyists.

Zionist leaders declared the state of Israel on May 14, 1948, thus creating a Jewish state in the heart of Palestine and the Middle East. Since its beginning, the state of Israel has remained at odds with the Palestinians [Page 713]and its neighboring Arab countries, including Egypt, Iraq, and Syria. The current crisis between Israel and the Palestinians remains one of the most volatile in the world. However, Israel continues to be the dominant Middle East country due to its close relationship with the United States, which grants Israel over $2 billion in aid every year.

While, for the most part, American Jews tend to support the Democratic Party, there has always been a close association between the state of Israel and the Republican Party. This relationship began even before Jewish leaders declared a state in 1948. This close relationship began in the aftermath of World War II, when over 250,000 Jewish refugees remained in former concentration camps. The question of what to do with the displaced persons became a pivotal issue in American politics beginning with the congressional elections in 1946 and the presidential election of 1948, and has continued since.

Thomas Dewey was the Republican governor of New York from 1943 to 1955, and one of the first Republican politicians to identify the importance of the Jewish vote in American politics. Traditionally, American Jewish voters have supported the Democratic Party, largely due to Franklin Roosevelt's concerted effort to win over Jewish voters. Dewey tried to break this trend and thus supported the Zionist policy of allowing the displaced persons to relocate to Palestine, where they would be free from anti-Semitism and able to establish their own private state. Dewey was also the Republican presidential candidate in 1948, although he lost to the incumbent, Harry Truman. Dewey nonetheless advocated for the prospect of a future Jewish state in Palestine, making it a major issue of the election that both parties would subsequently support, setting a standard for Republican politicians ever since.

Dwight Eisenhower was one of the few Republican presidents who believed that a strong American relationship with Israel would hurt American interests with the Arab Middle East. While not every Republican politician supports Israel, very few will be openly critical of the state for fear of domestic political backlash. Eisenhower would openly lessen America's relationship with Israel.

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