Furthermore, the role of the US presidency was essential in the establishment of the special relationship between the United States and Israel. According to Kiely (2017), “from the Truman administration to the Obama administration, the United States has repeatedly professed and demonstrated a profound and unequaled commitment to […] the Jewish state”. A repetitive pattern amongst all presidents has been shown, as they always had a saying about the protection and existence of Israel. In particular, Trump’s administration was significantly supportive of the Jewish country in terms of military issues. Indeed, in 2017, President Donald Trump “declared the formal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel” (Moten, 2018). Such an official recognition is an indication of the support toward Israel because, at that time, Palestine claimed parts of East Jerusalem as its lands.
Moreover, Trump changed long-standing US security, diplomatic and political affairs in Israel’s favor. These include the nuclear agreement with Iran, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the UN’s attitude to Israel. He also claims, “[…] it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” (Trump, 2019). Such wise, Trump began to act, relying on the interests of Israel.
In addition to President Donald Trump, Israel has been supported by many US politicians, including former presidents. In 2011, on May 19, Barack Obama stated, “[…] Our commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable. And we will stand against attempts to single it out for criticism in international forums” (Bickerton & Klausner, 2016, p. 437). The Iranian nuclear program (INP) had a significant influence on Middle East policy during the Obama presidency, the settlement of which was identified as one of the priorities of the American administration. Barack Obama was initially aimed at solving the problem of the Iranian nuclear program by diplomatic means, without using military measures. Another equally important problem, which has become a priority of Barack Obama’s Middle East policy, is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict since its settlement could serve as an impetus for resolving Israel’s contradictions with Syria and Turkey and establishing relations with the Gulf countries that support the Palestinians.
From the very beginning, the White House intended to achieve a solution to the Palestinian problem based on the coexistence of two states – the Israeli and the Palestinian. The relationship between America and Israel has a tangible impact on US Middle East policy formation.
References
Bickerton, I. J., Klausner, C. L. (2016). A History of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Routledge.
Trump, J. D., (2019,). realDonaldTrump. Twitter. Web.
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