Mitchell Bard

Mitchell Bard is a foreign-policy analyst and an authority on US-Israel relations who has written and edited 22 books, including The Arab Lobby, Death to the Infidels: Radical Islam’s War Against the Jews, and After Anatevka: Tevye in Palestine.

What if Israel treated America as America treats Israel?

Consider some of news reports that sound significantly different.

 

Israel enjoys a special relationship with the United States that dates back to its founding. That relationship, however, is sometimes a double-edged sword.

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Most of the time, it works to Israel's benefit. Still, the US State Department, which opposed the creation of Israel, often treats Israel differently than any other democratic government by singling it out for criticism. If Israel's Foreign Ministry behaved the same way toward the United States, news reports might sound something like this:

"The Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the government of Israel expresses its condolences to the families of the massacre victims at the school in Uvalde, Texas. She also noted that the rate of gun deaths in Israel is about two per 100,000 residents compared to 12 per 100,000 in the United States, and the number of firearms per 100 Israelis is less than seven compared to more than 120 in the United States.

'In Israel, most Israeli men and women serve in the military, so they have been trained in the proper use of firearms,' she added. 'Still, they cannot get permits for weapons until they are 21. Those without military training must wait until they are 27. Even then, applicants for licenses must typically work in security-related fields or live in a dangerous area.'

"The spokesperson suggested the United States could learn from Israel's experience, where applicants must go through a security check, take a shooting and gun safety course, and get a doctor to certify that they do not have a mental illness and are not taking any medication that could impair alertness. In contrast to the ease of obtaining a gun in the US, 40% of all applications are rejected by the government."

Or perhaps something like these:

"Following a report of a US drone strike that killed members of a wedding party in Somalia, the Israeli foreign minister called for a thorough investigation of the incident and said that military operations should be carried out with extreme care to avoid civilian casualties."

"In response to President Joe Biden's declaration that the United States would defend Taiwan against Chinese aggression, Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that China and the United States should "do everything possible to deescalate tensions.'"

"President Biden's refusal to supply fighter jets to Ukraine prompted Israel'sForeign Ministry spokesperson to declare that this was a reminder of America's failure to bomb the concentration camps during World War II when thousands of lives could have been saved."

"After police shot yet another unarmed black man in the United States, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson called on the United States to enact police reforms to prevent such tragedies."

"In response to news reports of thousands of people at the Mexico-US border living in horrendous conditions, the Israeli Foreign Ministry called on the US government to take urgent action to relieve the humanitarian crisis."

"A spokesperson for Israel's Foreign Ministry criticized the American administration today for its unwillingness to support Iranians protesting against the oppressive government in Tehran. 'We can't understand why the world's beacon of democracy would not stand behind the people of Iran who want freedom from the ayatollahs,' the spokesperson stated."

"With FBI agents locked in a standoff with a white supremacist who killed a police officer, a spokesperson for Israel's Foreign Ministry called for the United States 'to exercise restraint and avoid any aggressive action that might cause additional injuries.'"

"As rioting spread across cities in the United States in response to the killing of George Floyd, the Israeli government called on the administration to ensure that police responded with proportionate force."

"A spokesperson for Israel's Foreign Ministry expressed disappointment following the disclosure of a draft decision of the US Supreme Court to outlaw abortion. 'We believe that women should have the right to an abortion if they meet certain criteria such as cases of incest or rape. If the United States were to reverse Roe vs. Wade, it would be a giant step backward for women's rights in a country looked to as an example for personal freedom.'"

"Israel's Foreign Ministry expressed concern over continuing US sanctions against Cuba. 'While we understand the desire to pressure the Cuban government, this amounts to collective punishment that is causing the suffering of the Cuban people. We encourage the administration to negotiate with the Cuban government to achieve a peace agreement.'"

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"The deportation of thousands of illegal immigrants to Mexico prompted the Israeli Foreign Ministry to issue a statement today urging the United States and Mexico to do nothing that would jeopardize their relationship."

"Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticized the administration for requiring Israelis to acquire visas for entry into the United States while most Europeans are not required to obtain them. 'We are fellow democracies and allies, and we don't understand why the US government continues to treat Israel differently.'"

"As tensions escalated between the United States and Russia, Israel's Foreign Ministry announced that it had drawn up a peace plan that urged the United States, as the stronger party, to make a series of concessions to reduce the chance of nuclear war. The Foreign Ministry has proposed, for example, that the United States reject the NATO applications of Finland and Sweden and agree to a reduction of troops in Europe. 'The United States must avoid actions Russia may see as provocative. Peace between the two countries is only possible if the United States recognizes the legitimate security concerns of the Russians.'"

How do you think Americans would react to being treated the way they treat Israelis?

 Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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