The United States-Israel alliance is under attack. Many on the Left, and a growing number on the Right, are calling for the U.S. to end its security ties with the Jewish state, but it is an irreplaceable ally.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) recently said Israel is “not aligned” with American national security objectives. He is a longtime member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, seems to have presidential ambitions, and is far from alone in overlooking the value Israel brings us.
In mid-July, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly rejected an amendment from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) that would have ended $3.3 billion in annual defense aid to Israel. Massie was the only one of 215 House Republicans to vote in favor, but nearly half of House Democrats voted with him.
Democrats have turned against Israel. Rahm Emanuel, President Barack Obama’s former chief of staff, and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) soft-launched their 2028 presidential campaigns by traveling to Israel to criticize and condemn it. Emanuel, who is something of a centrist, appears to have made the cynical calculation that any Democratic presidential candidate risks paying a political price for appearing broadly supportive of Israel. Khanna is a more eager Israel-hater.
Polls show a steep drop in Americans’ support for Israel. An April 2026 Pew survey found that 60% of Americans hold an unfavorable view of Israel, a 20-point increase since 2022. The share with a very unfavorable view has risen to 28%, up 9 points from last year.
This collapse in support spans the partisan divide, but it is significantly more pronounced among Democrats. Pew found that 80% Democrats hold an unfavorable view of Israel, a dramatic increase from 53% four years ago.
The rise of socialism and of the Democratic Socialists of America is another important factor. The party has called for abolishing prisons, the Electoral College, and the U.S. Senate, but opposition to Israel’s existence has become its overriding cause.
These are the voters politicians such as Murphy covet. Their turn against Israel could not come at a worse time. The U.S. needs Israel more than ever.
The two countries have much in common, notably the intellectual foundations of their civilizations. Both are vibrant democracies built by pioneers seeking freedom and equality. Both are leaders in technology and innovation. America has long felt an affinity for Zionism, the belief in Jewish self-determination in the Jewish people’s ancestral homeland.
Israel’s importance to America extends beyond the ideological and romantic. As former Secretary of State Alexander Haig once said, “Israel is the largest American aircraft carrier in the world that cannot be sunk, does not carry one American soldier, and is located in a region critical for American security.”
It is more than an outpost for freedom. It gives the U.S. a powerful partner with whom to project influence and deter adversaries in a region that remains crucial to American interests.
Israel is a military and intelligence powerhouse with capabilities that exceed those of many other American allies. It has the means and the will to shoulder a large share of the regional security burden.
The U.S. also benefits from Israeli defense innovations, including the Iron Dome missile defense system and Iron Beam, a directed-energy weapon.
DEMOCRATS TRY TO DODGE ‘WOKE 1’
Washington and Jerusalem share enemies. The Islamic Republic of Iran wants Israel’s destruction and to drive the U.S. from the Middle East and diminish American power.
If the U.S. shutters its security relationship with Israel, our many shared enemies would benefit.