The relationship between the United States and Israel has long been presented as an alliance founded on shared democratic values, strategic interests and an enduring commitment to regional security. But beneath this familiar narrative, a more difficult question is emerging: what happens when an ally’s regional ambitions begin to undermine the wider interests of the superpower that sustains it?

The United States is a global power with responsibilities extending far beyond Israel. It must protect maritime trade, maintain energy security, manage relations with major powers, reassure its regional partners and prevent conflicts from spiralling into wider wars. Israel, meanwhile, has increasingly pursued a security doctrine centred on military dominance, pre-emptive action and the persistent neutralisation of perceived threats. These objectives may overlap, but they are not identical. When they diverge, the alliance faces a test that personal ties between political leaders cannot indefinitely postpone.

The price of unconditional support

American support for Israel has provided diplomatic protection, military assistance and formidable strategic advantages. Yet support without meaningful conditions carries its own costs.

When Washington is seen as endorsing Israeli military actions regardless of their consequences, it risks surrendering the moral authority it invokes in defence of international law, civilian protection and a rules-based international order.

When Washington is seen as endorsing Israeli military actions regardless of their consequences, it risks surrendering the moral authority it invokes in defence of international law, civilian protection and a rules-based international order.

This is not simply a question of public relations. It affects America’s credibility with countries whose cooperation it needs elsewhere. A superpower cannot convincingly demand restraint from adversaries while appearing unwilling to exercise comparable influence over its closest allies. Nor can it expect the world to distinguish indefinitely between American declarations of principle and the consequences of American policy.

The damage is increasingly visible in public opinion. A Pew Research Center survey published in April 2026 found that 60 per cent of American adults held an unfavourable view of Israel, compared with 53 per cent a year earlier. Negative views have grown across political constituencies, particularly among younger Americans. These figures do not mean that American support for Israel has disappeared, but they do suggest that the political foundations of the relationship are changing. (Pew Research Center)

A relationship that once enjoyed broad political protection is becoming more contested. For Israel, this should be a warning. For Washington, it should prompt a serious reassessment of whether an alliance is being managed in a way that........

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