Opinion By putting Netanyahu’s Israel first, Trump is harming America

Is Israel a “rogue state”?

The term “rogue state” has been out of fashion in foreign policy circles for some years now. In any event, the “rogueness” of a state had little to do with objective criteria (though it claimed to) and more with how they aligned with the West’s and the US’s foreign policy interests. Broadly speaking, rogue states are believed not to follow international rules and norms, support militant and terrorist groups, and are “dangerous to other nations”. Often, they are described as militant ideologies with the resources of a country and its armed forces at their disposal. This definition is broad enough to encapsulate most superpowers. In essence, shorn of the jargon of foreign policy mandarins, which country is a “threat”, a “rogue state” or to use the more recent category, a “state of concern” boils down to a simple principle: Jiski lathi uski bhains (more boringly put, “might is right”).

“Rogue states”, “axis of evil”, etc, are categories deployed by the American establishment against countries that, broadly, openly threaten US interests. Iran has often featured on such lists, as have Cuba, Afghanistan, Venezuela and North Korea. Now it might be time for America to put Israel on that list. For, under Netanyahu, it fits all the criteria – persecution and killing (of Palestinian civilians, in their thousands), nuclear weapons capability, supporting non-state actors, assassinations, etc. But most importantly, Washington’s unconditional support for Israel is actively hurting its interests both abroad and at home.

Making America Less Great, for Israel

American soft power is arguably at its lowest point since the end of the Cold War. Institutions like Harvard, Columbia and Yale – American universities as a whole, really – have served US interests in at least three ways. First, by attracting the best talent from around the world, they have ensured that American companies and labs continue to lead the technology and innovation race. Second, by becoming the educational destination of choice for elites from around the world, including and especially India and China, they ensure cultural and even political goodwill from “leaders” and “influencers” in these countries in decades to come. Third, universities were symbols of the promise of the “American dream” in a way that was more than just material. They said to the world that, unlike the Soviet Union or China, it is possible to speak your mind, protest and receive an education that could give you a better life. America’s wealth and power come not despite the freedoms that it provides but because of them.

Israel’s reprisal for the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas has claimed 55,000 Palestinian lives so far. The suffering of civilians, including being on the brink of starvation, the killing of children, and the refusal to let aid through, has been witnessed by the world in real-time. Students and faculty in American universities have protested these atrocities and the US’s support for the regime that is behind them. The Democrats and Joe Biden certainly lost at least some votes due to this support. But the political cost has another dimension as well. Trump has attacked Harvard and other universities, almost barring foreign students, in response to these protests. The man who sought to “Make America Great Again” is undermining the source of that greatness. This may be due to his attitude to domestic politics and dissent. But it’s being done in the name of and for Israel.

The political cost, for America and Trump

Leaders both “weak” (like Biden) and “strong” (as Trump imagines himself to be) seem unable to control Israel and Netanyahu. There is no cost, no consequence for Tel Aviv for crossing the “red lines” laid down by Washington, as it did with the Rafah offensive last year. Even when it undermines Trump’s attempts at diplomacy in the Middle East, as it has done with the latest attack, it gets America’s support. Netanyahu’s actions say to the world that he can take the US for granted, that even a leader as mercurial as Trump will back him no matter what.

The question is: Why?

Whether in terms of trade, as a regional guarantor of US interests or even political capital expended, Israel takes more from America than it gives. As political scientist John J Mearsheimer said during an Idea Exchange with this newspaper last year: “The US has a remarkably close relationship with Israel… Why is this? The answer is the Israel lobby. You have this group of institutions and individuals in the US who work overtime to make sure that it supports Israel no matter what… The Israelis know full well they can do whatever they want, and the Israel lobby will protect them on the American home front.”

Part of Donald Trump’s appeal to his MAGA base is that he is anti-war. Many Americans are tired of spending their blood and treasure overseas, as things seem to get worse at home. Trump is fond of making deals — on trade, security and much else. His agenda, he claims, is America First. Unfortunately, the “rogue state” of Israel under Benjamin Netanyahu is making him put the Israeli government’s (not its people’s) ahead of the US national interest.

aakash.joshi@expressindia.com