There’s a debate that goes like: America supports the Zionist cause because of strategic interest in the middle east, to test weaponry, to park aircraft, etc. The other side says America supports Zionism because of powerful lobbying from organizations like AIPAC and the ADL. Then I guess there’s a third explanation involving American evangelicals and their religious doctrines, along with their own lobbying and campaigning.
For me personally it seems like it’s all of those things at the same time, with perhaps strategic interest being the most pressing. I say that because of the multiple instances of the CIA discovering things like Israeli spying equipment in Washington DC, and yet nothing is done. There are literal Israeli intelligence assets working as aides to senators and nothing is done. I only ever see feds do that when they’ve been instructed something is off-limits.
I also know this wasn’t always the case, because people like Johnathan Pollard got thrown in jail. And I know the Bush Sr admin was less amicable. So what’s yall’s stance here
I think it goes back to Cold War politics. The Middle East was adjusting to decolonization in the post war era, which meant there was opportunity for both the West and the Soviets to form alliances and expand influence there. So Israel making appeals to Western powers, the US specifically, made them a central pillar and base for combating Soviet influence in the region. And don’t forget, the Soviets were supplying the Arab side of the Arab-Israeli war of 1973, which just solidified the idea in the West that supporting Israel actively undermined the USSR.