Israel, a pioneer and innovator, holds a unique position in the American consciousness and imagination. It is a nation that transformed a land without a people into a blossoming haven for a people without a land. The bond between the United States and Israel is not merely a result of advocacy or strategic alliances, but rather a shared history and common values that draw these two nations together.

The Americanization of the Israeli Project

The assumption of virtue and a greater good in America’s official history has been consciously reproduced by Israel’s advocates for a large part of the last century, in an attempt to Americanize the Israeli project. This narrative portrays Israeli violence as necessary to protect Israel from threats to its exceptional existence, mirroring the justification often used for American violence.

The biggest tie that binds the United States and Israel together is their shared history as settler colonial states, built on the displacement and ethnic cleansing of other peoples. To tell the story of Israel in U.S. news media, the history and rights of Palestinians to their homeland have often been obscured or omitted.

The Victim and Victor: Israel’s Dual Identity

In the seven decades since Israel was established as a state in the British Mandate of Palestine, American engagement with the Jewish state has seen different iterations. However, at its core, these iterations have relied on Israel being a mirror of the American nation. In this mirroring, Israel has been assigned a duality as both the victim and victor.

Israel is a victor, emerging from one of the cruellest crimes of the 20th century as a successful, unified people who have built a formidable nation despite thousands of years in a persecuted diaspora. Israel is also a victim, surrounded by enemies who want to drive it into the sea. This distinctive relationship with Israel is not only strategic but also cultural, with shared religious and democratic values shaping our perception of Israel as more than just a strategic ally.

The Disappearance of Palestinians

For a cultural history that extols shared values, it must build those shared values in opposition to other ideas, other values, and in the case of state and nationalist identities, other people. U.S. news and popular media have built a case for Israel reliant on the disappearance of Palestinians and any claim they have to their land, on the disappearance of their history of ethnic cleansing, the theft of their lands.

In conclusion, the relationship between the United States and Israel is complex and multifaceted, rooted in shared histories, values, and narratives. Understanding this relationship requires us to critically examine the narratives we consume and to seek out diverse perspectives that challenge our assumptions and broaden our understanding.