The relationship between the United States and Israel is arguably more strained now than at any point in the past decade, with a former Israeli ambassador and a former senior American diplomat saying that both sides have fundamental disagreements over the direction of policy. In an interview, they said the two governments rank their priorities differently, with the US increasingly focused on its own regional interests while Israel’s leadership is more insistent on a unilateral path.
Gadi Eisenkot, the former Israeli chief of staff, said that the two allies must close the gap if they are to remain effective, and that he believed steps could be taken to repair the relationship if the right conditions were met. He said former American ambassadors and lawmakers largely agreed with him that the steps he had outlined were necessary, though they acknowledged they would be challenging.
The breakdown in the relationship has been a feature of the latest round of diplomatic tensions, with the two sides disagreeing over the pace of Israeli settlement expansion and the viability of a two-state solution. Both the White House and the Israeli government have refused to give ground publicly, with officials citing their respective domestic political constraints.
Why it matters
The US-Israel relationship is one of the cornerstones of American policy in the Middle East. A breakdown in trust could have serious consequences for regional stability, as the two allies find themselves pulling in different directions on some of the most sensitive questions in the region.
The warning signs are clear. The former officials said the two governments rank their priorities differently, with the US increasingly focused on its own strategic interests while Israel’s leadership is more insistent on securing its own position on the ground. The result is a divergence that could have consequences well beyond the region.
Washington’s allies in Europe, including the UK, are also watching closely, with the government urging both sides to avoid actions that could undermine the prospects for a lasting peace. The UK government has called for restraint from all parties and for a return to diplomacy.
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What happens next
The former officials said that a combination of diplomatic engagement, economic incentives and a joint commitment to a shared vision could repair the relationship, though they acknowledged the road ahead would be rough. They said they believed the steps they had outlined were risky but necessary.
The two sides could still begin to close the gap if both are willing to make concessions, though the coming months will be critical in determining whether the relationship stabilises or continues to deteriorate. All sides agree that the status quo is not sustainable.
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