At the end of this senseless war, a glimmer of hope has emerged. It is a foolish hope, for most wars end in disaster, but it is there nonetheless. In a time of despair, that is enough. This war could lead to a fateful reversal of relations between the United States and Israel. What is done is done. While the citizens of Israel are proud of the cooperation between the two countries and their pilots in the skies over Tehran, dark clouds are already gathering.
The more obvious the failure of the war becomes and the clearer that America has no idea how to get out of the predicament it has gotten itself into, the more brutal the search for the guilty will be. It will certainly be one-sided. America will place all the blame on Israel, which could set off a domino effect in countries that are eager to see the ties between Israel and the US break. When the hostilities cease, Israel could find itself in a new role as a kind of local North Korea, an isolated, outcast country, deprived of the American support without which it cannot survive.
The unhealthy foundations of the US-Israeli relationship are long overdue for removal. Common interest is the basic bond between them. The division of roles has become so blurred over time that it is no longer clear which of the two countries is the superpower. Israel did whatever it wanted, and enormous aid flowed in without any strings attached.
Under Mr. America, that is, Benjamin Netanyahu, who dared to defy the United States more than any of his predecessors, these relations took on monstrous proportions. The Israeli prime minister undermined American presidents, such as Barack Obama, and his country suffered no consequences for it. Settlements, annexation, criminal wars in Gaza and Lebanon, pogroms, apartheid, genocide - the United States condemned all this, but continued to pay for it; it opposed it, but repeatedly used its veto power at the United Nations in favor of Israel; it reprimanded, but the airlift of arms and ammunition did not stop.
Fearing the United States, Europe dared not speak up or take action, even after the war in Gaza. Now it is just waiting for an opportunity to settle scores with Israel, as are large sections of American public opinion, including some Jewish communities. Everyone is fed up with this Israel, which persistently ignores the international community and disregards international law, and the growing gap between public sentiment and governments in most countries of the world.
A war in Iran could be a turning point. Both American parties are just waiting for a crack to turn into a fissure. Donald Trump will be the first to look for a scapegoat. At his beck and call, a flood of accusations will follow that could be devastating, but it might push Israel in a positive direction.
Severing the unconditional bond between the United States and Israel may be Israel's only hope, provided it is accompanied by profound changes in Israeli policy. These changes will not happen by themselves. Israel will not wake up one morning and decide that it must end the occupation, apartheid, and endless wars and that it must listen to the advice of the world. Only severing ties with the United States can bring about such a change. But then the child - who has long since grown up - may be thrown out with the global bathwater.
It is hard to imagine how Israel could maneuver without America. The right-wing sycophants who believe that Israel does not need America will have to face reality. Suddenly there will be no more weapons, no more money, no more vetoes in the UN Security Council. What then? Will settler leader Danielle Weiss protect us? Will National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir prevent the UN resolution? Will columns of settler jeeps head for Tehran?
That day is closer than the participants in Israel's parade of madness think. Soon they will be faced with a choice: Israel will change or it will cease to exist.
(Translated by Milica Jovanović)
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