Who Is Behind Israel’s Power

On September 27, 2024, during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, when it was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s turn to speak, more than half of the diplomats turned their backs on him in protest and walked out of the assembly. The message was crystal clear: it was a condemnation of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and Lebanon. But what was the point of the walkout? Subsequently, Israel has launched attacks on Yemen as well. Focusing solely on Gaza, over the past year, more than 42,000 innocent people—including women and children—have been killed, and hundreds of thousands more have been left homeless.

The United States, the European Union, and the UK have repeatedly warned Israel that this conflict could escalate into a catastrophic crisis. The world caught a glimpse of this potential on October 1, 2024, when Iran fired 200 ballistic missiles at Israel from a distance of 1,800 kilometres. Reports as of October 2 indicate that Israel has warned Iran of severe repercussions. Yet, despite these warnings, the international community has so far failed to rein in Israel.

The Israel–Palestine Conflict: Roots, Current Situation, and Complex Realities

Before we can understand who is behind Israel’s power, it is essential to first grasp the current situation. The conflict between Israel and Palestine dates back to a time when neither entity even existed. What, then, are the true roots of this conflict?

Currently, the situation is such that Palestinians have been systematically confined—pushed back and restricted—to a small strip of land known as the Gaza Strip. This territory spans an area of merely 360 square kilometres; it is a place from which neither is it easy to exit, nor is it easy to enter. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea on one side, Egypt on another, and Israel on the remaining two sides. Only essential supplies are permitted to enter—and even then, only at Israel’s discretion. Gaza—once a vibrant city—now lies buried beneath millions of tons of rubble.

Israel claims that all these actions were undertaken to dismantle the militant wing of Hamas—a campaign it intends to continue. However, it is difficult to reconcile this claim with the reality that in 2017, Gaza had a population of approximately 500,000; how could 42,000 of those people—amounting to 8% of the total population—possibly constitute the entire militant wing? To escape Israel’s attacks, the local population of Gaza is left with only one option: to flee the Gaza Strip and seek refuge in Lebanon. Yes, the very same Lebanon where Israeli airstrikes are currently underway. Yet, accomplishing this is no easy feat; one must first travel from Egypt, cross the Red Sea to enter Jordan, proceed from there to Syria, and finally reach Lebanon. In Lebanon, Hezbollah—an Iranian-backed militant group—wields considerable influence and power; notably, this group also provides assistance to Hamas within Gaza.

What Is Hezbollah and How Did It Emerge?

During the Lebanese Civil War in the 1980s, Israel occupied southern Lebanon. To counter the Israeli presence, an armed group emerged in the region, eventually adopting the name Hezbollah. This group succeeded in driving Israel out of Lebanon and has, ever since, functioned as a powerful political and militant force within the country. Experts contend that this group is even more powerful than the Lebanese national army and enjoys the full backing of Iran. Since its inception, Hezbollah has posed a persistent threat to Israel, and skirmishes between the two sides have become a routine occurrence.

However, following the attacks on Gaza last year, Hezbollah openly declared its intention to provide support to the Palestinians. This development presented Israel with a new predicament: while launching attacks on Gaza had been relatively straightforward, Israel now found itself compelled to contend with—and respond to—Hezbollah in Lebanon as well.

Consequently, in order to launch direct attacks within Lebanon, Israel required a substantial justification—a necessity acknowledged by experts. It was at this juncture that the “Pager Attacks” were planned. On September 17 and 18, 2024, more than 3,000 pagers and radio sets belonging to Hezbollah exploded simultaneously. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the incident and, in retaliation, fired numerous rockets at the country. The opportunity Israel had been waiting for had finally arrived; starting the very next day, Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. During this operation, Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah was killed.

The Middle East Crisis: The Truth Entangled Amidst Aid, Politics, and War

On the other hand, nations across the globe have made concerted efforts to bring an end to the fighting before the situation in the Middle East deteriorates further; indeed, many countries have openly criticised Israel. Regarding humanitarian assistance, significant aid packages for Gaza have been announced by nations worldwide. Taking the U.S. as an example—according to a Reuters report dated September 30, 2024—the United States announced aid for Palestinians in Gaza. On March 7, 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden announced plans to construct a military port to facilitate aid delivery to Gaza; furthermore, on the 27th of that same year, the U.S. announced $53 million in immediate emergency assistance.

However, while most countries around the world are criticising Israel, Israel is only intensifying the ferocity of its attacks. What, ultimately, is the reason why tiny Israel—surrounded on all sides by Arab nations—remains beyond anyone’s control? This issue has been raised three times within the last year at the United Nations Security Council.

The UN Security Council comprises representatives from various nations, and decisions on any issue are typically reached through a vote; once a decision is made, the concerned nation is bound to abide by it. Yet, on all three occasions when a ceasefire agreement was proposed in the Security Council, the United States exercised its veto power to block the resolution. Yes—the very same United States that, in June 2024, had announced aid worth millions of dollars for Gaza. In fact, in June 2024, the U.S. itself tabled a ceasefire resolution that was subsequently passed by the Security Council—only to be vetoed later on. On one hand, President Joe Biden asserts that war serves no one’s interests; on the other, it is the United States that has repeatedly utilised its veto power at the UN.

Furthermore—according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)—between 2019 and 2023, 69% of all weapons imported by Israel were sourced from the United States. Moreover, the U.S. provides Israel with $3.8 billion in military aid annually. All of this information is publicly available. Critics argue that while the United States talks about halting attacks on Gaza, it simultaneously continues to support Israel; this is precisely why the conflict, rather than subsiding, continues to escalate.

U.S.–Israel Relations: A Complex Nexus of Religion, Lobbying, and Strategic Interests

However, a crucial question arises here: why, exactly, is the United States acting in this manner? The answer to this question lies rooted in religion. According to research conducted by Wheaton College in the U.S., a significant segment of the American population—approximately 35 to 40 percent—consists of individuals who hold firm beliefs rooted in the Bible and actively adhere to them. Many of these individuals believe that the establishment of Israel is entirely in accordance with biblical prophecy.

There is an organisation in the United States dedicated to the protection of Israel and to advocating on behalf of the Jewish people; this organisation is known as CUFI—Christians United for Israel. With 10 million members worldwide, the organisation counts among its ranks some of the most prominent figures in American politics. This group of Christians is also referred to as “Zionists.” It is important to remember that Christianity is a distinct religion, and Judaism is another; Zionism, however, is a political movement that works in support of Israel. Most importantly, it is not a prerequisite for every Jew or every Christian to be a Zionist.

What Is AIPAC and How Does It Influence U.S. Policy?

How does this group of Zionists manage to influence decisions within American politics or the government to suit their agenda? For this purpose, there exists a separate committee known as AIPAC—the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. It is the largest and most powerful lobbying committee in the world, capable of securing the passage of its preferred decisions within the U.S. Congress—whenever and however it chooses. It is within the U.S. Congress that all major decisions are made: new laws are enacted, budgets are approved, and declarations of war are authorised.

Members of the U.S. Congress make all these decisions through a voting process. Now, if a powerful group were to secure the allegiance of a majority of U.S. Congress members, instructing them to cast their votes in favour of specific resolutions, this practice is known as “lobbying.” Surprisingly, lobbying is entirely legal in the United States; however, it is subject to certain conditions. Those engaged in lobbying must make all relevant details public and are strictly prohibited from making “under-the-table” payments to any member of Congress; in other words, all transactions and interactions must take place in full public view.

AIPAC’s website explicitly states that the organisation lobbies the U.S. government to implement policies favourable to Israel. Furthermore—and remarkably—98 percent of the candidates who ran in U.S. general elections with the backing of AIPAC were successful in winning their races. A sum of 4 million dollars was also provided per candidate. This group not only works to implement pro-Israel policies within American politics but also actively seeks to defeat those who oppose Israel. Their website states that they have successfully defeated 24 candidates who stood against pro-Israel policies.

The ICC Threat Letters: A Glimpse of AIPAC’s Reach

AIPAC’s support for Israel has now begun to take on a rather alarming form. The situation unfolded when South Africa filed a case with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israel’s bombing campaigns and human rights violations in Gaza. While this court is a part of the United Nations, it does not fall under the direct control of the United States.

On April 24, 2024, the ICC’s Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, received a threatening letter signed by 12 U.S. Senators. The letter stated: “We have received reports that the ICC is preparing to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders.” It further warned: “If you proceed with this action, we—the U.S.—will impose severe sanctions against your institution. We will also ban you and your family members from visiting the United States.” The letter explicitly stated: “If you target Israel, we will target you.” Finally, at the very end of the letter, the message “You have been warned” was included. Attached to this letter were the names and signatures of those 12 U.S. Senators. Interestingly, AIPAC’s website features a list of all those Senators who are pro-Israel candidates—for whom the organisation is actively raising funds—and this very list openly reveals the names of the senators who wrote threatening letters to the ICC Chief Prosecutor.

Israeli Bonds and the Financial Dimension of U.S. Support

But the story doesn’t end there. You have all likely heard of “bonds”; these are typically issued by governments to raise capital from investors. In return, the bondholder receives an annual return on their investment. The advantage of this arrangement is that the government secures funds in the form of a loan, and whenever the bonds need to be redeemed, the government can simply buy them back.

According to a report by The Guardian, in August 2023, a representative for Israeli bonds emailed the State Treasurer of Ohio, USA, inquiring whether he would be willing to purchase $5 million worth of Israeli bonds. Normally, selling anything to a government entity is no easy feat; it involves numerous bureaucratic hurdles and requires obtaining permissions from various officials. Yet, astonishingly, within just 40 minutes, the Treasurer’s office approved the purchase of the Israeli bonds. It later came to light that, following the outbreak of the conflict between Hamas and Israel, various U.S. states and municipalities collectively purchased at least $1.7 billion worth of Israeli bonds.

Strategic Interests: Why America Needs Israel in the Middle East

It thus appears that America has not just one, but numerous reasons for supporting Israel—the most significant of which is securing its own strategic interests in the Middle East. As you are aware, tensions between Iran and the U.S. have persisted for several decades. Whether it was the 20-year American occupation of Afghanistan or the war in Iraq, the U.S. requires a loyal partner in the Middle East and South Asia—and who better to fulfil this role than Israel?

However, ending the conflict in the Middle East is not an insurmountable challenge; the Arab nations desire statehood for the Palestinians, but Israel remains unwilling to accept a “Two-State Solution” at any cost.

Conclusion: Who Is Really Behind Israel’s Power?

The answer to who is behind Israel’s power is not a single actor, but a web of interlocking forces—religious conviction embedded in tens of millions of American voters, the world’s most powerful lobbying machine (AIPAC), annual U.S. military aid of $3.8 billion, a geopolitical interest in maintaining a strategic ally in the Middle East, and financial instruments like Israeli bonds purchased by American states. Together, these forces explain why a small nation can defy global condemnation and continue its military operations largely unchecked.

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Also Read

• Iran vs USA: The Decades-Long Proxy War Explained
• What Is Hamas and How Did It Rise to Power?
• The Two-State Solution: History, Failure, and Future