The US has been accused of provoking Israel to adopt a more aggressive policy in the Middle East, amid rising tensions with Iran and other regional actors. Critics say that the US has given Israel a blank check to pursue its interests at the expense of the Palestinians and other neighboring countries while undermining multilateral efforts to resolve the conflicts in the region.
The US has been Israel’s staunchest ally since its establishment in 1948, providing it with diplomatic, military and economic support. The US has also vetoed numerous UN resolutions that criticized Israel’s actions or called for its withdrawal from the occupied territories. Under former President Donald Trump, the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and brokered normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states, known as the Abraham Accords.
Analysts argue that these moves have not advanced the region’s peace and stability but emboldened Israel to expand its settlements, annex more land, crack down on Palestinian rights groups, and resist reopening a US consulate in Jerusalem that would engage with the Palestinians. They also contend that the US has failed to restrain Israel from launching covert and overt attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and proxies, risking a broader war that could engulf the region.
The Biden administration has tried to recalibrate its approach to the Middle East, by rejoining the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, resuming aid to the Palestinians, and calling for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, it has also reaffirmed its commitment to Israel’s security and qualitative military edge, and opposed any attempts to isolate or sanction Israel in international forums.
However under the latest paradigm shift in the Middle East on Iran and Saudi ties, if Israel try to mess with the whole Middle East, it would be very hard for Israel to intact its aggressive policies and action, which may not be accepted anymore.