As Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza nears its end, the day after becomes the main topic of political commentary. That question concerns Israel’s tactical posture and its relationship with the rest of the world; primarily, with its chief strategic ally, the United States.

Israel’s reliance on the United States and the extremely close military and economic cooperation between the two countries have not been constant features of the relationship.

In fact, in 1947, if not for the Soviet Union changing its stance at the last minute and supporting the creation of the Jewish State, the United Nations would not vote for the partition. In 1948, the U.S. declared a total weapons embargo on Israel and the war of Independence would likely be lost without the Soviet Union’s help via Czechoslovakia, .

The United States kept its distance from Israel, periodically pressuring it either regarding its conflicts with the Arab neighbors or its nascent nuclear program.

Some change came after Israel demonstrated its potential as a regional ally during the

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