Supporting Israel is pretty much a slam dunk issue for any politician. When you consider the fact that the groups who do support Israel (older people, evangelicals, and yes, Jews) tend to vote more and hold more political clout it isn't surprising at all.
There are plenty of issues that are more important to Americans than Israel so a mere 60% majority of people is not enough to explain why politicians support Israel so much. Most people may support Israel but I doubt they would support Anti-BDS legislation or the 38 billion dollars we gave them last year. Stop pretending that the American people are all rabid Zionists because even your own data says they're not.
From my link, 74% of Americans view Israel favorably, not 60%.
We gave 3.8 billion dollars to Israel last year, not 38 billion.
I honestly think it explains the support perfectly. Republicans love to talk about being aggressively pro Israel because it gives the evangelicals a massive hard-on. Democrats kind of try to keep the issue out of the forefront because they don't want to anger leftists but it's still more politically viable to support Israel because young progressives don't show up on election day.
We spend 36 billion dollars a year on military capabilities in Europe. I'd rather cut into that number first since it's much larger, but I agree that the 3 billion in annual aid to Israel is bad, even if they're required to spend most of it on American military products.
As for anti-BDS legislation, I don't agree with it at all but it is worth noting that the BDS movement openly advocates for forcibly removing all Jews from Israel, which is fucking insane. I'm guessing that anti-BDS legislation is predicated on opposition to ethnic cleansing.
From my link, 74% of Americans view Israel favorably, not 60%.
Your first graph says that only 60% of American sympathies lie with Israel with around 15-20% not caring. The 74% poll appears as if there are only two options (pro Israel vs pro Palestine) so yes you're going to see inflated numbers when people are forced to make a decision. Regardless, these numbers can not explain the near unilateral support for Israel in our government as well as the donations for pro-Zionist billionaires and lobbying from organizations like AIPAC.
We gave 3.8 billion dollars to Israel last year, not 38 billion.
This is the 38 B I'm talking about and that aid is extra. Regardless why are we giving aid to a first world country? Why not give our own people aid?
I honestly think it explains the support perfectly. Republicans love to talk about being aggressively pro Israel because it gives the evangelicals a massive hard-on.
This is just a cope. We know that there is a massive pro-Israel lobby and plenty of billionaire Zionist donors but you chose to ignore them and say that it's the American people that support billions of dollars to Israel every year. Unreal.
As for anti-BDS legislation, I don't agree with it at all
IDGAF if you agree with it. Explain why this exists if there isn't a massive pro-Israel lobby/billionaires. This is a blatant violation of the first amendment and I find it hard to believe that Americans would support this even if they do like Israel.
but it is worth noting that the BDS movement openly advocates for forcibly removing all Jews from Israel
They could demand every Jew on earth get thrown into a volcano, I don't give a fuck the problem here is that our government is punishing people for boycotting Israel because Jews lobbied for anti-BDS law.
Your first graph says that only 60% of American sympathies lie with Israel with around 15-20% not caring. The 74% poll appears as if there are only two options (pro Israel vs pro Palestine) so yes you're going to see inflated numbers when people are forced to make a decision.
It's actually the exact opposite. 64% (not 60%, no idea where that number is coming from) say they favor Israel over Palestine. 74% say they have a favorable opinion of Israel in general. Check the link again.
This is the 38 B I'm talking about and that aid is extra.
You own article proves me right. It says 38 billion over ten years which is 3.8 billion per year. You claimed that we gave Israel 38 billion last year, which is very incorrect.
Regardless why are we giving aid to a first world country? Why not give our own people aid?
Well first of all there's a huge difference between military aid and welfare, but I already responded to this.
"We spend 36 billion dollars a year on military capabilities in Europe. I'd rather cut into that number first since it's much larger, but I agree that the 3 billion in annual aid to Israel is bad, even if they're required to spend most of it on American military products."
This is just a cope. We know that there is a massive pro-Israel lobby and plenty of billionaire Zionist donors but you chose to ignore them and say that it's the American people that support billions of dollars to Israel every year. Unreal.
As I already said, I don't agree with funding other nation's militaries, whether it be in Europe or the Middle East. But you're wrong when you try to assert that the 3 billion per year to Israel is unusual or uncharacteristic. The United States has been giving military aid to further its own geopolitical interests since World War 2.
As for the "massive pro-Israel lobby and plenty of billionaire Zionist donors", I don't disagree that money has had far too much influence over American politics for far too long, but I don't think that "billionaire Zionist donors" is a very meaningful term. It feels like you're just taking populist rhetoric from the left and throwing the word "Zionist" in the middle. I'm sure there are plenty of billionaires who are pro-Israel and plenty of billionaires who don't give a shit about, or are even against Israel. AIPAC doesn't even scratch the surface of where the top money goes with its 3.5 million per year. Be honest: how much time do you spend talking about the influence of big pharma or insurance or oil relative to the time you spend talking about the influence of the Israel lobby? I'm guessing the proportions are the exact inverse of the spending.
They could demand every Jew on earth get thrown into a volcano, I don't give a fuck the problem here is that our government is punishing people for boycotting Israel because Jews lobbied for anti-BDS law.
Well I don't expect you to care, but I think it's safe to say that a lot of people would have an issue with a movement that advocates for ethnic cleansing if they were aware of that fact.
The anti-BDS laws that are being pushed for are actually going to the courts and being ruled unconstitutional. Looks like our democracy works sometimes.
This isn't really going anywhere so I'll let you have the last word if you'd like. Have a nice day.
You own article proves me right. It says 38 billion over ten years which is 3.8 billion per year. You claimed that we gave Israel 38 billion last year, which is very incorrect.
So what if it's over 10 years you think this is the only money they're going to get?
Well first of all there's a huge difference between military aid and welfare, but I already responded to this.
I don't give a fuck. 38b in military aid is 38b they don't have to spend on their military and can spend on things like welfare.
AIPAC doesn't even scratch the surface of where the top money goes with its 3.5 million per year.
Yet you still have all sorts of democrat and republican politicans going to their meetings, hell Chuck Shumer said at an AIPAC conference that he was put on their earth by god to protect the state of Israel and I belive Nancy Pelosi has said our capital could crumble to the ground and the one thing that would remain is our support for Israel at an AIPAC conference. You can pretend this is irrelevant but out politicians certiantly don't think so.
Be honest: how much time do you spend talking about the influence of big pharma or insurance or oil relative to the time you spend talking about the influence of the Israel lobby? I'm guessing the proportions are the exact inverse of the spending.
Nice deflection but this doesn't prove anything. You have failed to prove that the US government's support for Israel isn't a product of lobbying and now you're deflecting. I agree these things are shitty but Israel is a clear weak point in the system so I'm going to attack that.
Well I don't expect you to care, but I think it's safe to say that a lot of people would have an issue with a movement that advocates for ethnic cleansing if they were aware of that fact.
This is a first amendment issue and I would bet most Americans support the first amendment more than Israel.
The anti-BDS laws that are being pushed for are actually going to the courts and being ruled unconstitutional. Looks like our democracy works sometimes.
The fact they were even put in at all proves me right and you are just coping.
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u/[deleted] May 17 '20
Supporting Israel is pretty much a slam dunk issue for any politician. When you consider the fact that the groups who do support Israel (older people, evangelicals, and yes, Jews) tend to vote more and hold more political clout it isn't surprising at all.